UNIV.  OF  GALIF.  L»RARY,  LOS  ANGELES 


TRAVELS 


BIBLE 


ITALY,  EGYPT,  GREECE,  ASIA  MINOR, 
SYRIA,  AND  PALESTINE. 


BY 


REV.  EMERSON   ANDREWS,  A.B.,A.M., 

EVANGELIST.     AUTHOR  OF  "  REVIVAL  SERMONS," 
"TOUTII'B  PICTURE  SERMONS,"  ETC. 


The  liberal  >oul  shall  be  made  fat.  —  Solomon. 

For  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.  —  Phil.  i.  2L 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED    BY    JAMES    H.  EARLE, 
No.  9C  WASHINGTON  STREET. 

1872. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871, 

BY  EMERSON  ANDREWS, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


Stereotyped  at  the  Boston  Stereotype  Foundry, 
No.  19  Spring  Lane. 


PREFACE. 


ANOTHER  volume  for  you  and  for  the  millions.  Verily,  of 
the  making  of  books  there  is  no  end.  So  let  it  be  of  all  the 
true,  good,  and  useful.  Truth  and  virtue  are  really  mighty; 
yea,  stronger  far  than  base  fiction  or  charming  vice,  and  must 
finally  prevail.  Godliness,  too,  is  ever  profitable.  We  have 
the  promise :  it  is  only  a  matter  of  time.  O,  then,  let  us  raise 
high  the  banner  of  the  Cross,  and  roll  back  the  raging  tide 
of  error,  vice,  and  destruction !  Sin  and  Satan  are  yet  run- 
ning riot. 

Can  we  not  timely  interest  and  benefit  the  dear  youth  and 
the  reading  community  with  Bible  truth,  scenes,  food,  and 
facts  of  real  life,  with  good  hopes  of  the  future?  Let  us  ever 
try,  and  trust,  and  pray,  and  watch,  and  rejoice. 

While  quite  young  I  began  to  attend  the  Sunday  school,  to 
read  the  Bible  and  religious  books,  and  also  to  peruse  history, 
travels,  and  scientific  works.  So  I  have  always  been  carefi;l 
to  select  choice  and  profitable  works,  as  I  would  good  com- 
pany, well  adapted  to  expand,  develop,  and  discipline  the  mind, 
to  invigorate  and  elevate  the  heart  and  soul,  to  store  and 


2126560 


4  PREFACE. 

strengthen  the  memory,  to  vitalize,  direct,  and  establish  the 
will  in  prosecuting  good  resolutions  for  God,  for  humanity,  and 
for  heaven.  Blessed  birthright ! 

But  especially  did  I  feel  my  responsibility,  and  cherish  a 
thirst  for  sacred  knowledge,  after  my  conversion  to  God  —  to 
do  good,  and  to  win  souls  to  Christ. 

Thus  after  reading,  musing,  praying,  and  preaching,  I  longed 
for  and  often  and  anxiously  contemplated  a  visit  to  the  Holy 
Land  and  other  sacred  places  of  Bible  fame,  that  I  might  learn, 
jirofit,  and  enjoy  somewhat,  and  be  a  more  efficient  minister. 
So  Providence,  in  due  time,  opened  the  way,  granted  my  re- 
quest, and  crowned  the  arduous  enterprise  with  large  success. 

I  had  previously  visited  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  and 
France,  being  a  delegate  and  visitor  to  the  World's  Temper- 
ance Convention,  to  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  and  to  other  re- 
ligious bodies.  But  I  could  not  be  satisfied  short  of  seeing  the 
hallowed  places,  and  of  treading  in  the  very  footsteps  of  Christ 
and  the  Bible  worthies.  So  I  went,  saw,  felt,  spoke,  wrote, 
preached,  and  prayed,  and  have  ever  thanked  God  for  this  un- 
speakable privilege.  I  have  returned,  I  trust,  a  wiser,  richer, 
better,  and  happier  man,  and  a  more  efficient  Evangelist.  To 
God  be  all  and  endless  praise ! 

During  my  tour  I  preached  many  sermons,  of  which  I  have 
written  these  sketches  since  my  foreign  letters  were  published 
in  the  American  Baptist  in  New  York. 

Learning,  on  my  return  home,  that  my  letters  were  read  with 
much  interest  and  profit  by  friends  in  Sunday  schools  and  in 
families,  I  soon  resolved  to  collect,  revise,  and  publish  the 
same  in  a  volume  for  their  special  use.  O,  let  us  forestall 
the  wily  enemy,  and  fill  the  minds  of  the  young  with  sacred 
truth  and  pure  thoughts. 


PREFACE.  5 

Being  often  asked  for  the  little  things,  items,  and  incidents 
of  travels,  as  well  as  the  great,  I  here  give  you  the  whole, 
truly,  freely,  and  in  all  its  variety.  In  addition  to  illustrations 
of  historic  places,  which  are  of  interest  to  all  classes,  I  have 
had  a  few  illustrations  put  in  especially  for  my  young  friends. 

Now,  my  dear  friend  and  reader,  I  have  great  pleasure  in 
presenting  you  this  book  of  TRAVELS  IN  BIBLE  LANDS,  as  a 
pure  and  prayerful  gift,  hoping  thereby  to  do  your  soul  good, 
and  to  advance  the  Eedeemer's  kingdom. 

Now  let  me  enjoy  your  prayers,  and  share  your  earnest  co- 
operation in  holding  up  Mount  Zion's  banner,  till  the  world 
shall  be  filled  with  peace  and  crowned  with  glory. 

EMERSON  ANDREWS. 
PHILADELPHIA,  PA.,  July,  1871. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGB 

EMERSON  ANDREWS Frontispiece. 

THE  CROSS  OUR  ONLY  HOPE 13 

VIEW  OF  ST.  PETER'S  FROM  THE  TIBER 32 

REMAINS  OF  ON,  OR  HELIOPOLIS 60 

THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD 67 

OUR  FATHER,  WHO  ART  IN  HEAVEN 76 

GOD  is  LOVE 88 

DAMASCUS 91 

SIDON 93 

JERUSALEM 97 

STREET  IN  JERUSALEM 108 

POOL  OF  SILOAM 113 

BETHLEHEM 120 

RACHEL'S  TOMB .  140 

JEWS'  WAILING-PLACE 155 

MOUNT  OF  OLIVES 156 

THE  CROWN  OF  LIFE 191 


CONTENTS. 


I.  SERMON  (ON  SHIPBOARD)  :  CHRIST  AND  HIS 

CROSS 9 

II.    LETTER:  PASSAGE  TO  FRANCE 19 

III.  SERMON  (IN  PARIS)  :  BROTHERLY  LOVE.  .   .    25 

IV.  LETTER:  THE  WONDERS  OF  ROME 29 

V.  SERMON   (IN  ROME)  :    PAUL'S  MESSAGE  TO    • 

THE  ROMANS 38 

VI.    LETTER:  NAPLES  AND  POMPEII 44 

VII.     LETTER:   FROM  ITALY  TO  EGYPT 51 

VIII.  LETTER  :  CAIRO  AND  THE  PYRAMIDS.    ...    56 

IX.  SERMON  (IN  CAIRO)  :  ROOM  FOR  ALL.  ...    64 

X.     LETTER:  PATMOS  AND  SMYRNA 70 

XI.  SERMON  (IN  SMYRNA)  :  THE  SPIRIT'S  WORK.   74 

XII.    LETTER:  ATHENS 74 

XIII.  SERMON  (IN  ATHENS)  :  CONSTRAINING  LOVE.    79 

XIV.  LETTER  :   BEYROOT  VIA  PAUL'S  ROUTE.    .  .    86 
XV.  LETTER  :   FROM  JOPPA  TO  JERUSALEM.  ...    90 

XVI.  SERMON   (IN   JERUSALEM)  :    MOUNT  ZION'S 

GLORY 99 

XVII.    LETTER  :  A  WALK  ABOUT  ZION 106 

7 


8 


CONTENTS. 


XVIII.    LETTER:  WONDERS  OF  JERUSALEM in 

XIX.     LETTER:   CALVARY  AND  HOLY  PLACES  .   .   .  115 

XX.    LETTER:   BETHLEHEM 119 

XXI.    LETTER  :  CONDITION  AND  PROSPECTS  OF  THE 

HOLY  CITY 124 

XXII.    LETTER:  MOUNT  MORIAH  AND  VICINITY.    .  129 

XXIII.  LETTER:   VISIT   TO   THE  JORDAN  AND  THE 

DEAD  SEA 133 

XXIV.  LETTER  :  SCENES  OF  THE  JORDAN 142 

XXV.    LETTER  :   FAREWELL  TO  PALESTINE 149 

XXVI.    LETTER:   FAREWELL  TO  EGYPT 160 

XXVII.    LETTER  :  RETROSPECT  AT  MALTA 165 

XXVIII.    LETTER:  TOUR  OF  THE  RHINE 172 

XXIX.     LETTER  :  LONDON  AND  THE  ANNIVERSARIES.  178 
XXX.    SERMON  (IN  LONDON)  :  THE  GREAT  SALVA- 
TION  189 


CHAPTER  I. 


SERMON  (ON  SHIPBOARD)  :  CHRIST  AND  HIS  CROSS. 

"For  we  preaqh  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord; 
and  ourselves  your  servants  for  Jesus'  sake."  —  2  Cor.  iv.  5. 

RETHREN  and  friends,  fellow-passen- 
gers on  the  ship,  and  fellow-voyagers 
on  the  sea  of  time  to  the  wide  ocean 
of  eternity,  let  us  now  look  to  the  Holy  Bible  as 
our  chart,  and  to  Christ  as  the  Captain  of  our 
salvation.  Herein  is  our  sure  hope  and  happi- 
ness. 

In  the  good  providence  of  God  we  are  gath- 
ered on  this  fine  ship,  amidst  ample  provisions 
for  life  and  comfort,  outfitted  for  our  passage 
on  the  broad  Atlantic  to  England  and  France. 
Thus  I  am  bound  to  the  "Bible  lands." 

It  seems  fit,  in  the  nature  of  things,  and  in 

9 


10  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE  LANDS. 

/ 

view  of  our  spiritual  prospects,  that  we,  on  ship- 
board, and  on  this  Lord's  day,  should  bow  our- 
selves in  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  and  ask  his 
gracious  protection. 

I  was  glad  when  the  courteous  captain  ex- 
pressed the  kind  and  ardent  wish  of  the  officers 
and  cabin  passengers,  and  desired  me  to  preach 
on  this  interesting  occasion.  A  goodly  number 
of  us  profess  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
some  others  are  interested  for  their  own  souls' 
salvation. 

We  have  just  been  delighted  and  refreshed  in 
singing  that  good  old  hymn,  "The  Star  of  Beth- 
lehem," giving  the  Christian  experience  of  Kirke 
White  in  nautical  poetic  language.  How  ap- 
propriate, and  how  full  of  revival  instruction 
and  rich  grace ! 

Everything  around  us  is  full  of  interest,  won- 
der, majesty  and  revelation.  "The  heavens 
declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament 
shows  his  handywork.  Day  unto  day  utters 
speech,  and  night  unto  night  shows  knowledge. 
There  is  no  speech  nor  language  where  their 
voice  is  not  heard.  Their  line  is  gone  out 
through  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the 


CHRIST   AND   HIS   CROSS.  11 

end  of  the  world."  Truly  creation  reveals  in- 
visible things  of  the  great  eternal  power  and 
Godhead,  so  that  sinners  have  no  excuse.  All 
have  the  light  of  nature,  and  are  condemned  by 
it.  They  are  verily  guilty,  and  are  punished 
accordingly. 

Behold  now  the  revelation  of  grace,  eclipsing 
all  other  manifestations.  Life  and  immortality 
are  brought  to  light  by  the  glorious  gospel. 
Here  is  the  key  of  knowledge,  happiness,  and 
heaven.  In  the  Bible  we  behold,  as  in  a  glass, 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  are  changed  into  the 
same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Now,  if  any  man  will  do  God's  will,  he 
shall  know  of  the  doctrine ;  and  to  know  it 
aright  is  life  eternal.  To-day,  my  friends,  you 
may  share  salvation. 

Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  takes  away  the 
sins  of  the  world !  What  more  could  the  Sa- 
viour have  done  for  our  rescue  ?  How  guilty  and 
wretched  are  they  who  finally  neglect  the  great 
salvation ! 

Jesus  Christ  left  the  glories  of  heaven  for 
earth,  to  save  you,  and  me,  and  other  lost  sin- 
ners. He  walked  on  the  land  and  on  the  sea, 


12  TBAVELS    IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

and  wrought  many  and  mighty  miracles  of 
mercy,  but  Avas  despised  aud  rejected  by  sin- 
ful Jews  and  Gentiles.  Though  he  was  the 
Creator  of  all  things,  and  the  only  Benefactor 
and  Saviour  of  mankind,  he  was  cradled  in  a 
manger,  and  while  on  earth  was  refused  a 
place  to  lay  his  head.  How  mysterious  ! 

Look,  and  see  Jesus  healing  the  sick,  feed- 
ing the  hungry,  clothing  the  naked,  and  rais- 
ing the  dead!  But  see  him  insulted,  betrayed, 
crucified,  buried,  raised,  and  going  about  for 
forty  days,  showing  himself,  revealing  the 
Scriptures,  giving  the  great  commission  to 
his  disciples,  and  then  ascending  up  into 
heaven !  Behold  now  the  blessed  Saviour, 
sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  making  in- 
tercession for  us !'  Here  is  our  only  hope  and 
salvation. 

"God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the 
Cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  "  This  is  our 
theme,  our  only  hope,  our  success,  our  victory, 
and  our  crown. 

We  preach  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  as  did  Paul, 
the  great  apostle,  and  present  ourselves  as  ser- 
vants, for  Jesus'  sake.  He  who  has  ears  to 


"THE  CROSS  OUR  ONLY  HOPE." 
13 


CHKIST   AND   HIS   CROSS.  15 

hear,  let  him  hear  .what  the  Spirit  says  to  the 
churches.  O,  be  wise,  and  let  your  profiting  be 
known  to  all  men.  It  is  our  great  duty  and 
divine  commission  to  show  forth  the  power  and 
practicability  of  the  blessed  gospel ;  to  be  liv- 
ing epistles  of  Christ ;  to  be  the  light  of  the 
world,  and  the  salt  of  the  earth.  We  see  light 
in  Christ's  light.  He  is  our  all  and  in  all ;  our 
Alpha  and  Omega. 

Christ  is  our  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Saviour. 
In  him  dwells  all  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead 
bodily.  He  is  the  brightness  of  his  Father's 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person  :  so 
we  should  worship  and  serve  him,  keep  all  his 
commands  and  ordinances,  and  walk  blamelessly 
before  God  and  man. 

Christ  has  purchased  salvation  for  us,  and 
granted  us  a  day  of  grace.  Therefore  it  be- 
comes every  soul  to  repent  of  his  sins,  and  to 
accept  of  divine  mercy  —  so  ample,  free,  worthy, 
and  all-satisfj'ing.  Ho  !  every  one  who  thirsts, 
come ! 

The  Holy  Spirit  convinces  of  sin,  of  right- 
eousness, and  of  judgment  to  come;  therefore 
yield  your  heart,  will,  and  powers  to  his  bidding. 


16  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they 
are  the  sous  of  God.  There  is  110  condemnation 
to  those  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after 
the  Spirit. 

Let  no  one  grieve  nor  queuch  the  Holy 
Spirit  !  For  his  office-work  is  to  convince, 
convert,  sanctify,  and  glorify.  He  takes  the 
things  of  time  and  eternity,  —  heaven,  earth,  and 
hell,  —  and  dashes  the  burning  light  of  God  and 
truth  right  across  the  sinner's  vision,  as  no  earth- 
ly eloquence  can  do,  as  no  imagination  can  con- 
ceive. He  melts  the  hard  heart,  and  leads  the 
contrite  soul  to  the  bleeding  cross,  to  behold 
the  forgiving  Saviour,  to  believe  and  be  saved. 
So,  he  "reads  his  title  clear  to  those  heavenly 
mansions  in  the  skies,"  and  goes  on -his  way 
rejoicing,  "singing  redeeming  love  !  Herein  is 
peace  like  a  river,  and  righteousness  like  the 
waves  of  the  sea.  The  Spirit  leads  the  faithful 
into  all  truth,  into  Christ,  into  heaven. 

The  Lord  raises  up  and  sends  forth  godly 
preachers  to  "blow  the  gospel  trumpet,"  to 
warn,  invite,  and  welcome  wanderers  home.  So 
they  go  forth  into  all  the  world  to  preach  Christ 
to  lost  sinners,  and  to  win  broken-hearted  souls 


CHRIST    AND   HIS    CROSS.  17 

to  Christ  and  to  glory.  Therefore  believe,  and 
be  immersed,  and  testify  to  your  faith  and  hope 
in  the  Saviour's  resurrection,  and  that  of  all  the 
righteous  through  him,  to  a  blessed  immortality. 
Christ  is  God's  unspeakable  gift.  Will  you  ac- 
cept him,  and  make  your  election  sure? 

Religion  is  just  what  all  sinners  need,  and 
must  have,  or  be  lost  forever.  It  is  our  great 
panoply.  It  is  the  consolation  and  support  of 
all  Christians. 

"They  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  and 
do  business  in  great  waters,  these  see  the  works 
of  the  Lord,  and  his  wonders  in  the  deep." 
Truly  we  are  instructed  and  greatly  blessed 
to-day.  How  grateful  we  should  be  !  and  how 
prayerful  and  faithful  should  be  the  officers  and 
the  crew  !  How  befitting  for  us  here  "on  the  roll- 
ing ocean,  on  our  way  to  Europe,  —  yes,  on  our 
way  to  death  and  judgment,  —  to  prepare  to 
meet  God  1  Is  there  an  unbeliever  present  ? 
One  out  of  Christ  ?  One  unfit  for  heaven  ? 
Now,  then,  take  to  Jesus,  to  the  Life-boat,  and 
board  the  old  ship  Zion,  and  be  saved  forever! 
Brethren,  let  us  all  pray,  thank  God,  and  take 


18  TRAVELS   IN    BIBLE   LANDS. 

"  We'll  stem  the  storm  ;  it  won't  be  long; 
We'll  anchor  by  and  by." 

May  we  —  passengers,  officers,  and  crew  — 
take  Jesus  Christ  for  our  Captain,  Pilot,  Physi- 
cian, Saviour,  and  all;  the  Bible  for  our  chart, 
compass, 'glass,  lead,  and  lay;  duties  for  our  ra- 
tions and  health ;  and  final  perseverance  in  well- 
doing, to  secure  the  heavenly  port  and  prize  ! 

Thus  trusting  in  God,  we  shall  make  the  haven 
of  rest  and  eternal  glory.  Now  let  us  sing  the 
"Bower  of  Prayer."  Receive  the  benediction. 
Amen. 


CHAPTER  II. 


LETTER :     PASSAGE    TO .FRANCE. 

FF  to  the  "  Bible  lands  "  !  A  pilgrim  to 
the  sacred  world  !  Thus  my  record 
runs. 

When  my  solemn  duty  to  God  and  to  man 
was  fully  decided,  —  with  my  passport  and  let- 
ters of  introduction  in  pocket,  and  all  ready  for 
my  Oriental  voyage,  —  I  took  my  passage  in  the 
old  steamship  Ariel,  Captain  Ludlow,  of  New 
York. 

There  were  about  three  hundred  souls  on 
board,,  in  the  first  and  second  cabins,  and  in 
the  steerage,  besides  the  officers  and  crew. 

The  impassioned  scene  of  friends  parting  with 
their  "  beloved  ones "  was  soul-thrilling  and 
heart-rending.  It  cited  me  to  the  awful  separa- 
tions of  friends,  families,  and  neighbors  at  the 

19 


20  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

judgment  day.  What  an  eternal  sundering  then 
of  saints  from  sinners  ! 

Our  dear  brethren  Ward  and  Taylor,  and  many 
others  of  the  city,  came  to  see  me  off.  And  hav- 
ing kindly  saluted  us,  I  cheerfully  reciprocated 
their  friendship,  and  bade  them  and  my  other 
American  friends  an  affectionate  farewell.  Steam 
already  up,  plank  now  drawn  in,  and  the  moving 
signal  given,  at  twelve  o'clock  on  Saturday,  the 
30th  of  October,  away  we  sailed  for  Europe. 

Nothing  of  note  took  place  after  leaving  till 
we  reached  the  "  Narrows  "  of  New  York  Bay, 
when  we  all  came  to  a  sudden  halt.  Some  of 
the  steerage  passengers  had  "  bogus  tickets,"  and 
could  not  proceed  till  all  was  settled.  All  things 
soon  adjusted,  onward  we  steamed.  Soon  rain 
and  east  wind  came  vehemently  upon  us.  On 
the  morning  of  our  first  Lord's  day  the  ocean 
was  boisterous,  and  all  of  us  were  too  seasick 
for  public  worship ;  so  we  read  the  107th  Psalm, 
verses  21-30,  many  times  over,  and  praised  God 
for  his  goodness,  wonderful  works,  and  match- 
less grace.  There  are  beauty  and  sublimity  on 
the  ocean  —  winds  playing  on  waves,  whales 
spouting,  and  porpoises  sporting  around  the 


PASSAGE   TO   FRANCE.  21 

ship ;  while  birds  of  varied  plumage  join  with 
the  flying-fish  to  interest  and  edify  the  weary 
passengers  on  the  mighty  deep. 

On  the  second  Lord's  day  out,  all  being  calm 
and  favorable,  the  cabin  passengers,  through  the 
politeness  of  the  captain,  invited  me  to  preach  to 
them.  I  did  so,  and  apparently  with  blessed 
effect.  It  was  a  solemn,  melting  season. 

Soon  after  service,  head  winds  blew  again  ter- 
ribly ;  then  the  rain  poured  down  in  awful  tor- 
rents, the  thunder  and  lightning  intensified  the 
gloomy  scene,  a  perfect  gale  sprang  up,  a  hurri- 
cane was  immediately  upon  us.  Here  our  staunch 
ship  rolled  and  labored,  but  still  ploughed  the 
mighty  ocean  waves.  Great  consternation  for 
a  while  seized  the  passengers,  and  prompted 
many  to  look  to  the  Lord  for  wisdom  and  help. 
In  a  few  days  more  all  was  calm,  and  we  were 
cheerful  as  ever,  wending  our  way  to  "  the  de- 
sired haven." 

On  the  third  Lord's  day  w$  had  no  public 
worship,  except  the  usual  "blessing"  asked  at 
the  table,  for  the  passengers  generally  were  so 
eager  to  get  sight  of  land  that  preaching  was 
suspended. 


22  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

On  the  17th  of  November  we  made  Southamp- 
ton, England ;  and  after  spending  a  day,  we 
left,  and  on  the  19th  made  the  port  of  Havre, 
France. 

Here  we  landed,  in  health,  with  grateful  and 
happy  hearts,  after  a  diversified  and  somewhat 
stormy  and  dangerous  passage,  amidst  adverse 
winds,  shifting  hopes,  fears,  and  joys,  in  twenty 
days  from  New  York.  Thanks  be  to  God  for 
infinite  mercies ! 

After  seeing  the  new  sights  in  Havre,  and  the 
old  city  of  Eoueu,  I  came  via  railroad  to  Paris. 
Truly  I  find  great  improvements  made,  except 
in  morals,  since  I  was  here  twelve  years  ago,  at 
the  time  of  their  "Three  Days  Fetes,"  or  great 
celebration. 

Last  Lord's  day,  I  attended  worship  at  the 
"American  Chapel,"  where  Rev.  Mr.  Lecley 
officiated  in  the  morning,  according  to  the  Epis- 
copal form;  and  in  the  afternoon,  without  his 
robes,  conducted  worship  in  Presbyterian  style. 
He  did  not,  I  suppose,  really  "change  his  coat," 
but  it  looked  rather  singular,  changeable,  and 
accommodating  for  a  Presbyterian  minister. 

I  worshipped  at  two  other  Protestant  chapels, 


PASSAGE   TO   FRANCE.  23 

and  heard  some  excellent  sermons  in  English. 
There  are  some  good  things  and  people  yet  in 
Paris. 

I  am  interested  and  delighted  amidst  great 
privileges  and  splendid  scenery  in  this  central 
city.  But  when  I  leave,  after  a  few  days,  I  shall 
visit  Italy,  Egypt,  Greece,  and  Palestine. 

.On  the  following  Wednesday,  we  had  a  very 
interesting  missionary  "  semi-centenary,"  at  Rue 
Roy  ale,  in  the  Methodist  Chapel.  Some  eight  or 
ten  ministers  were  present,  and  a  good  audience. 
A  number  spoke. 

After  reading  the  reports,  and  giving  numer- 
ous statistics  of  success,  Rev.  Mr.  Leeley,  of 
the  American  Chapel,  offered  various  resolu- 
tions, which,  by  request,  I  seconded  and  sup- 
ported ;  also  another  resolution  to  appoint  a 
committee  to  fix  the  place  and  time  to  hold  a 
union  prayer-meeting,  in  view  of  a  revival  in 
Paris.  This  last  I  most  heartily  spoke  in  favor 
of.  Yea,  I  had  the  privilege  of  "  preaching  "  the 
pure  gospel  in  the  "heart  of  the  wicked  world." 
O,  my  brethren,  I  assure  you  we  had  a  warm, 
hearty  revival  —  a  brotherly,  Christian,  true  love- 
feast  !  The  ministers,  and  some  lay-brethren 


24  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

from  America  and  elsewhere,  spoke  as  if  God 
moved  them  by  his  Spirit. 

O,  pray  for  Paris  and  the  world  !  and  may  the 
Lord  bless  his  feeble,  faithful  few,  till  every 
nation  shall  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth  ! 
God  is  able,  and  grace  is  promised.  My  spirit 
was  really  refreshed  by  the  revival  spirit  and 
heart-reciprocity  of  the  meeting  —  this  growing 
oasis  in  a  spiritual  desert!  What  a  feast  we 
had,  while  surrounded  with  rank  popery  and 
infidelity  !  But  I  am  off  for  Some. 


CHAPTER  III. 


SERMON  (IN  PARIS)  :  BROTHERLY  LOVE. 

"Let  brotherly  love  continue."  —  Heb.  xiii.  1. 

RETHREN  and  friends,  assembled  here 
in  Paris,  in  this  "metropolis  of  the 
world,"  at  this  missionary  meeting, 
to  celebrate  the  semi-centenary  of  Methodism, 
I  need  not  say  that  it  gives  an  American  Chris- 
tian unspeakable  joy  to  meet  and  share  with 
these  beloved  brethren  in  the  interesting  and 
refreshing  services  of  this  anniversary.  Truly 
we  have  an  overflowing  table,  surrounded  with 
happy  guests  —  a  feast  of  reason,  fullness  of 
heart,  and  a  flow  of  soul.  Thoughts  breathe 
with  life,  and  words  burn  with  love.  I  thank 
you,  dear  friends,  and  bless  the  Lord,  for  this 
distinguished  privilege. 

25 


26  TKAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

I  have  left  America,  three  thousand  miles 
away,  to  enjoy  this  interesting  occasion,  to  par 
ticipate  in  other  religious  devotions  and  enter 
prises,  and  to  prosecute  my  travels  in  "Bible 
lands."  I  am  most  heartily  glad  of  this  oppor- 
tunity to  meet,  miugle,  pray,  sing,  and  speak 
with  the  children  of  God  of  clivers  tongues, 
clearly  speaking  the  language  of  Canaan.  Some 
eight  or  ten  different  speakers  here,  representing 
as  many  different  nationalities  and  a  rich  variety 
of  denominations,  have  struck  the  same  key- 
note and  focal  point  of  Christian  union  and 

effort. 

True  religion  I  find  to  be  the  same  in  all 
climes  and  kingdoms.  I  am  ever  resolved  to- 
reciprocate  with  my  fellow-Christians  of  various 
names  in  devotions,  labors  and  reformations, 
as  far  as  we  can  mutually  cherish  our  reason, 
conscience,  and  the  Bible.  Then,  being  filled 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  shall  not  tall  out  by  the 
way,  but  be  fellow-helpers  to  the  truth  and  to 
Ziou.  Let  us  co-operate,  and  labor  for  revivals, 
and  ever  preach  for  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
and  hail  the  foretaste  and  full  fruition  of  the 
promised  millennium. 


BROTHERLY    LOVE.  27 

A  motion  has  been  made  and  seconded  to  in- 
stitute a  "  Union  Daily  Prayer-meeting "  in  this 
city.  I  rejoice.  This  is  an  important  move- 
ment in  the  right  direction.  The  cause  demands 
it.  Now,  with  the  securing  of  a  place,  and  the 
appointment  of  the  time,  and  the  faithful  perse- 
verance in  duty,  you  may  surely  expect  a  great 
spiritual  blessing  on  this  Christian  enterprise.  I 
rejoice  to  say  that  in  America  we  have  many 
such  meetings,  well  attended,  well  sustained, 
very  interesting,  and  profitable.  Short  prayers, 
short  speeches,  warm  exhortations,  earnest  re- 
quests for  prayers  for  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
—  present  or  absent,  —  interspersed  with  spirit- 
ual singing,  mark  the  exercises,  and  are  at- 
tended with  great  success.  Sometimes  reports 
are  made  coming  from  distant  states,  and  those 
nearer  by,  of  conversions,  revivals,  or  refor- 
mations, in  answer  to  the  union  of  prayer  and 
the  union  of  effort.  How  cheering  and  re- 
viving to  the  true  Christians  !  We  thank  God 
and  take  courage  as  promises  arc  fulfilled,  and 
new  trophies'  of  grace  are  proclaimed.  Warm 
hearts,  with  gratitude  and  thanksgiving,  inspire 
loud  hosannas  from  the  joyful  multitudes.  I 


28  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

hope  God  will  grant  you  like  blessings,  and 
more  abundant.  Revivals  are  all-important  for 
us  and  for  you. 

The  city  of  Paris  —  the  centre  of  the  civilized 
nations  of  the  earth  —  demands  our  sympathy, 
prayers,  zealous  spiritual  co-operation  in  evan- 
gelizing her  millions  of  citizens  and  surrounding 
subjects.  Were  Paris  Christianized,  what  a 
mighty  lever  or  engine  of  reformatory  power 
we  should  have  for  the  conquest  of  the  world ! 
Verily  I  have  felt  much  interest  for  this  city  and 
suburbs,  and  for  Christian  missions  in  other 
quarters  of  Christendom  and  heathendom,  ever 
since  my  conversion  to  Jesus  Christ. 

I  am  joyful  and  very  grateful  for  the  present 
expression  of  brotherly  love  and  union.  May 
this  be  but  the  beginning  of  a  revival  wave  to 
sweep  the  world !  We  would  most  gladly  wel- 
come you  all  in  America,  and,  at  last,  share  with 
you  in  heaven. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


LETTER  :    THE    WONDERS   OF   ROME. 

OING  to  Rome?  Nay,  I  am  here,  at 
last,  resting  in  my  easy-chair  and 
hired  room.  How  wonderful !  how 
interesting !  What  associations  rush  upon  my 
mind  I  But  I  am  really  in  the  "  City  of  Seven 
Hills  "  and  the  home  of  the  Caesars. 

My  journey  from  Paris,  via  railroad,  through 
the  fine  cities  of  Dijon  and  Lyons,  and  through 
a  rich,  rolling  farming  country,  was  truly  in- 
teresting; while  the  distant  and  surrounding 
scenery  of  high  hills,  rocky  mountains,  rivers, 
and  ravines,  interspersed  with  life  and  art,  gave 
enchantment  to  the  view. 

The  river  Rhone  is  fine  and  meandering,  and 
beautifully  lined,  on  each  side,  with  rich  varie- 
ties. 

29 


30  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

Marseilles  is  a  seaport,  an  old  city,  very  dead 
and  dreary,  except  in  the  new  part,  which  has 
recently  sprung  up  from  the  increased  interest  in 
navigation,  and  the  building  of  a  new,  capacious 
harbor. 

From  Marseilles  I  came  by  steamboat  to 
Civita  Vecchia,  a  city,  harbor,  and  military 
post,  but  otherwise  of  little  importance.  The 
fare  all  along  is  rather  high,  but  living  and  ac- 
commodations are  good. 

Next  I  took  the  diligence  for  fifty  miles  along 
the  coast,  —  abounding  in  beggars,  —  from  seven 
-  o'clock  in  the  evening  till  seven  the  next  morn- 
ing, and  was  well  jostled  up  hill  and  down,  till  I 
was  glad  to  find  a  resting-place  in  old  Rome.  I 
here  took  up  my  lodgings  at  the  "  Hotel  de  la 
Minerve,"  a  fine  house. 

By  the  way,  I  must  not  omit  to  mention  that 
I  was  an  honored  "bearer  of  U.  S.  A.  despatches" 
from  Paris  to  Rome,  from  minister  to  minister, 
and  to  our  consul.  I  had  all  the  concomitants 
and  privileges  of  "a  man  of  state." 

I  have  called  on  our  minister,  Mr.  Stockton, 
ex-minister  Cass,  and  Mr.  Glentworth,  our  con- 
sul. All  of  these  "honorable  gentlemen"  have 


THE   WONDERS   OF   ROME.  31 

honored  me  with  their  calls  and  valuable  civili- 
ties. 

Since  my  arrival  here  it  has  rained  most  of  the 
time,  yet  I  have  been  busy  in  "sight-seeing."  I 
have  already  visited  the  noted  splendid  ruins, 
the  palaces  of  the  Caesars,  the  Coliseum,  the  old 
Forum,  also  the  Vatican,  St.  Peter's,  studios  of 
Bartholomew  and  Crawford,  reading  rooms,  pic- 
ture" galleries,  and  numerous  other  places  of  in- 
terest, over  the  Tiber,  outside  and  inside  of  the 
city,  besides  the  Amphitheatre,  great  museums, 
fountains,  monuments,  squares,  statues,  and  fine 
architectural  churches.  St.  Peter's  excels  any- 
thing that  I  ever  saw.  It  is  equal  to  some 
twenty  of  our  city  churches  in  size  and  capacity. 
Its  statuary  also,  with  its  mosaic  pictures,  fine 
proportions,  and  exquisite  finish,  from  the  varie- 
gated marble  floor  and  the  sunk  panelled  walls 
to  the  zenith  of  the  great  dome,  some  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  high,  are  all  exquisitely  beau- 
tiful and  sublime  as  imagination  can  conceive,  or 
ability  execute.  Art  has  here  taxed  all  her 
powers. 

In  this  vast  cathedral  I  have  attended  mass 
twice.  It  seemed  very  solemn,  and  sometimes 


32 


TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 


awful,  amidst  all  the  surroundings.  The  music 
of  the  qrgans,  choirs,  beating  of  drums,  choruses 
and  responses,  were  all  in  the  most  perfect  artis- 
tic style  and  taste.  The  sing-song  reading  and 


VIEW  OF  ST.  PETER'S  FROM  THE  TIBER. 

reciting,  with  the  singing,  were  most  euphoni- 
ous, melodious,  sweet,  and  pathetic.  Christ, 
too,  in  figure,  was  elevated  on  the  cross.  Hun- 
dreds of  long  candles  were  burning;  incense 
was  smoking ;  multitudes  were  kneeling  ;  scores 


THE   WONDERS    OF   EOMK.  33 

of  robed  priests  were  officiating;  soldiers  were 
attending  in  full  uniform ;  and  all  combined  to 
make  a  picture  and  an  impression  never  wit- 
nessed or  known  but  in  Papal  Rome.  But  what 
is  mere  form  or  pageantry,  without  the  power  or 
the  piety?  The  heart  must  be  renewed. 

The  people  generally  seem  poor,  ignorant, 
idle,  and  depraved ;  a  few  officials  are  rich.  A 
priest  even  came  to  my  room  as  a  beggar.  The 
rich  grind  the  poor. 

I  am  truly  delighted  with  the  fine  arts,  but  I 
am  heartily  disgusted  with  the  morality  and  re- 
ligious mockery  of  Papal  Rome.  Yet,  on  last 
Lord's  day,  I  visited  again  the  old  Vatican,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  interior.  Here  I  saw  the 
"august  Pope,"  in  pontifical  garb,  and  witnessed 
his  ceremonies  in  the  celebration  of  "high  mass." 
This  was  a  solemn,  splendid  romance.  At  ten 
o'clock  A.  M.,  the  Sistine  Chapel  doors  were 
thrown  open  to  worshippers  and  visitors  in  high 
dress,  —  for  those  in  meaner  apparel  were  actu- 
ally turned  away, — and  each  entrance  was 
guarded  by  a  band  of  soldiers  in  full  uniform. 
O,  how  unlike  the  religion  of  the  cross  !  Priests 
and  novices  then  thronged  the  aisles.  Visitors 
3 


34  TUAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

and  representatives  of  all  nations,  long  011  tip- 
toe, now  make  a  general  rush  for  places,  and  to 
see  the  lion  of  the  day. 

The  cardinals,  some  thirty  in  number,  in  trail- 
ing purple  silk  robes,  came  with  majestic  tread 
and  pompous  airs,  while  their  pages  walked  close 
behind,  holding  up  their  long  trails  by  a  silk 
cord  and  tassel,  till  these  magnates  Avere  each 
duly  seated  all  around.  Soon  followed  the  arch- 
bishop, in  grand  attire,  wearing  a  splendid  mitre, 
bowing,  courtesying,  kneeling,  and  crossing,  till 
seated  in  his  dignity.  All  gazed  with  open  faces, 
'and  strangers  asked,  in  anxious  excitement,  "Is 
he  the  Pope?"  A  short  pause.  Soon  came  in 
the  variously  dressed  chamberlains,  friars,  and 
cross-bearers,  making  their  genuflections  and 
signs;  and  next  followed,  in  dignified  step 
and  style,  the  Pope  himself.  The  excitement 
was  intense  and  general.  All  looked  and  stared  ; 
some  bowed  and  manoeuvred ;  while  some  others 
criticised  the  solemn  farce,  and  forgot  to  pay  rev- 
erence to  Pope  Nino.  He  Avas  gently  led  by  his 
aids  to  a  golden  bench  in  front  of  the  gorgeous 
crucifix.  Here  the  Pope  bowed,  crossed  himself, 
and  knelt,  and  Avas  then  led  to  an  elevated,  beau- 


THE    WONDERS    OF    ROME.  35 

tified  side  scat.  His  majesty  was  clothed  with  a 
crimson  robe,  overlaid  and  interwoven  with  gold, 
and  wore  a  tall  mitre,  red  shoes,  and  white  stock- 
ings. Behold  him  !  how  perfectly  antichrist ! 

The  chief  bishop  now  burned  incense  to  the 
Pope,  then  to  the  crucifix,  and  then  to  all 
around.  This  done,  the  subordinates  went 
through  the  ridiculous  ceremony  of  kissing  the 
Pope's  hand,  —  not  his  toe, — he  raising  his  right 
hand,  while  sitting  wrapped  in  his  gorgeous  ap- 
parel, underneath  divers  thicknesses  of  silk,  so 
that  they  actually  kissed  his  robe,  or  kissed  at 
his  hand.  What  folly  ! 

Pope  Nino  then  read,  and  sang,  and  spoke 
very  well:  The  singing  was  truly  excellent. 
All  parts  were  executed  exquisitely.  Four 
eunuchs  sang  the  alto.  The  various  melodious 
responses,  chants,  and  accompaniments,  with 
drums  beating  time  outside,  were;  when  all 
combined,  in  fine  keeping  with  the  genius  and 
spirit  of  Popery.  At  last  the  Pope  pronounced 
the  benediction,  and  we  left.  Yea,  I  was  truly 
glad  to  get  away  from  the  chapel  of  the  Pope's 
castle,  and  to  preach  Christ  elsewhere  to  sin- 
ners. 


36  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

It  is  really  in  St.  Peter's,  the  great  cathedral, 
that  you  see  scores  of  devotees  —  yea,  hundreds 
—  kiss  the  big  toe  of  a  brouze  statue  of  St. 
Peter,  so  called,  until  the  toe  is  about  half  worn 
off  by  the  wiping  and  kissing.  But  the  statue  is 
really  supposed  to  be  one  of  old  Jupiter,  conse- 
crated to  Popery.  Oftentimes  persons  bow  and 
kiss  it,  or  at  it,  as  if  it  were  the  real  Pope's  toe. 
But  enough  of  this  folly  and  idolatry.  The  Lord 
deliver  us  ! 

I  had  previously  been  invited  to  read  and  con- 
duct Episcopal  service,  on  Sunday  morning,  in 
the  American  chapel,  but  I  declined.  In  the 
afternoon,  however,  I  complied  with  an  invita- 
tion to  preach  and  conduct  worship  according  to 
our  usages.  Blessed  time  !  Here,  in  the  palace 
of  the  American  Minister,  and  under  the  United 
States  flag,  I  preached  to  interested  hundreds 
the  pure  gospel,  from  Rom.  i.  15.  Representa- 
tives of  different  nations,  speaking  English  and 
other  languages,  were  present,  and  joined  in 
Dinging  praises  to  God.  We  had  our  usual  free- 
dom of  speech,  and  shared  a  precious  melting 

season.      We  closed  the    services   by  sino-ino-  a 

«/  o     o 

psalm,  in  the  time  of  Old  Hundred,  with  which 


THE    WONDERS    OF    ROME.  37 

all  seemed  delighted.  So  we  gave  the  benedic- 
tion, ana  we  parted. 

The  Charge*  d'Atfaires  took  me  home  to  sup- 
per, and  said  he  felt  as  if  he  had  made  a  visit  to 
America  that  afternoon,  and  was  happy. 

To-morrow  (D.  V.)  I  shall  start  via  diligence 
for  Naples  and  Mount  Vesuvius,  in  Southern 
Italy. 


CHAPTER  V. 


SERMON    (IN  ROME)  :    PAUL'S   MESSAGE   TO  THE 
ROMANS. 

"  So,  as  much  as  lies  in  me,  I  am  ready  to  preach  the  good 
news  to  you  also  who  are  at  Rome."  —  Rom.  i.  15. 

AUL,  the  world's  evangelist,  preached,, 
wrote,  and  prayed  for  the  salvation  of 
mankind  —  Jew  and  Gentile. 
The  apostle  despatches  a  long,  doctrinal,  and 
practical  —  yea,    experimental    and    consoling  — 
epistle  to  the  brethren   at  Eome,  by  our  good 
sister  Phebe,  a  deaconess. 

Paul  longs  for  the  privilege  of  seeing  his  dear 
friends  face  to  face,  and  is  ready,  at  God's  bid- 
ding, to  preach  to  them  and  theirs  the  good 
news  of  salvation.  He  had  labored  successfully 
elsewhere,  and  is  now  ready  for  his  work  at 
Rome.  God  invited,  heard,  and  answered  his 

,38 


PAUL'S    MESSAGE    TO   THE    ROMANS.  39 

prayers.  In  due  time  Paul,  a  prisoner,  bound 
in  chains?,  arrived  at  public  expense,  had  an 
audience,  and  preached  the  kingdom  of  God  to 
the  multitude,  till  the  Jews  disagreed,  and  de- 
parted, leaving  Paul  with  his  friends  to  enjoy 
his  liberty.  So  the  apostle  "  dwelt  two  whole 
years  in  his  own  hired  house,  and  received  all 
who  came  to  him,  preaching  the  cross  with  all 
freedom,  no  man  forbidding  him."  Praise  the 
Lord ! 

What  a  gospel  triumph  !  a  Christian  victory  ! 
Here  I  am  on  the  old  spiritual  battle-ground. 
Here  I  am  in  the  city  of  the  martyrs,  of  the 
Caesars,  of  the  Popes  ! 

This  morning  I  heard  Pope  Nino  and  his 
priests,  listened  to  the  splendid  singing,  saw  the 
purple-robed  cardinals,  and  wondered  at  the  vain 
and  vaunting  formalities  in  the  Sistine  Chapel 
of  the  Vatican.  There  was  the  form  and  tinsel, 
without  the  power  or  the  soul. 

Now,  by  your  polite  invitation,  under  God,  I 
am  with  you,  dear  friends,  to  preach  Christ  and 
the  resurrection.  Here,  in  the  chapel  of  the 
American  minister,  in  a  palace  surmounted  by 
the  United  States  flag  of  stars  and  stripes,  I 


40  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

am  here  robed  in  silk,  after  the  custom  of  Rome 
and  the  English  clergy,  to  urge  these  hundreds, 
in  Christ's  stead,  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  Truly, 
my  heart  is  moved  under  these  solemn  and  in- 
teresting circumstances.  What  thrilling  associa- 
tions rush  to  my  mind  ! 

An  American  evangelist,  four  thousand  miles 
away  from  home,  is  now  standing  where  Paul 
stood  and  preached  eighteen  hundred  years  ago ; 
and  I  am  now  preaching  to  representatives  of  all 
parts  of  the  world,  whom  I  shall  not  meet  again 
till  the  judgment.  I  feel  unusually  solemn,  and 
realize  my  responsibility.  Will  you  pray  for 
me  and  for  yourselves  while  I  address  you  ? 

Paul  was  once  an  unbeliever  and  a  rebel  of 
the  boldest  class.  Grace  slew  him,  and  trans- 
formed him  into  the  likeness  of  Jesus.  He  then 
began  to  preach  the  very  gospel  which  he  had  so 
strenuously  opposed.  He  has  now  become  a 
new  man.  "  Old  things  are  passed  away,  and  all 
has  become  new."  Paul  preaches,  and  writes, 
and  sends  his  numerous  and  inspired  epistles  to 
all  the  world. 

The  gospel  finds  sinners  as  it  did  Saul  of  Tar- 
sus, unbelieving,  proud,  worldly,  mad,  and  re- 


PAUL'S    MESSAGE    TO    THE    ROMANS.  41 

bellious.  The  Holy  Spirit  comes  like  a  still  small 
voice,  or  like  a  mighty  rushing  wind  upon  sinners, 
as  the  "  breath  upon  the  valley  of  dry  bones," 
and  Pentecost  is  re-enacted,  and  multitudes  are 
converted  to  God.  The  gospel  is  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  who  believes ; 
yea,  it  is  the  "  two-edged  sword  of  God  to  slay 
and  make  alive."  It  is  mighty  to  the  pulling 
down  of  the  strongholds  of  sin,  Satan,  heresy, 
infidelity,  and  idolatry. 

The  gospel  is  a  revelation  of  God's  will,  mind, 
and  heart,  of  time  and  eternity,  to  men  and 
angels.  Here  we  can  see  ourselves,  our  only 
hope,  and  our  eternal  destinies.  Life  and  im- 
mortality are  brought  to  light  by  the  gospel. 
Let  us  be  living  epistles,  to  be  known  and  read 
of  all  men,  as  practical  editions  of  the  gospel. 
Therein  is  "  peace  like  a  river,  and  righteousness 
like  the  waves  of  the  sea."  Bless  the  Lord  for 
these  letters  of  love  sent  to  us,  and  to  the  na- 
tions, from  above  !  ^Jesus  Christ  writes  to  his 
bride  and  to  all  his  children.  Good  news, 
good  news,  to  penitent,  inquiring,  believing 
souls  !  All  are  invited  to  gospel  blessings  — 
the  waters  of  life  —  while  it  is  a  day  of  grace. 


42  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

The  Jews  rejected  their  only  Saviour  and  the 
day  of.  salvation,  and  many  Gentiles  have  done 
despite  to  the  offers  of  mercy.  Better  far  for 
reprobates  if  they  had  never  heard  of  the  gospel. 
"  Quench  not  the  Spirit !  " 

O,  accept  the  good  news  of  salvation,  while 
the  door  of  mercy  is  open  !  The  provisions  are 
ample,  and  grace  is  free.  Religion  is  all  impor- 
tant, and  salvation  is  worthy  of  all  acceptation. 
Believers  are  the  ready  and  blessed  recipients. 
How  gracious  the  terms  !  God  is  honored,  and 
fallen  men  are  ennobled  and  saved. 

We  find  in  the  gospel  a  sure,  free,  and  per- 
fect panoply,  for  defence,  offence,  and  progress. 
Success  is  insured  against  living  enemies,  the 
horrors  and  sting  of  death,  and  the  torments  of 
the  lake  of  fire.  Look  within  and  without,  and 
watch. 

The  gospel  is  an  engine  of  power  in  conquer- 
ing men,  transforming  men  into  Christ's  image, 
and  fitting  them  for  life,. death,  judgment,  and 
heaven.  Glorious  plan  of  grace  ! 

Here  is  the  motive  power  in  conversion,  sanc- 
tification,  and  redemption  ;  for  civilization,  evan- 
gelization, reformations,  temperance,  revivals, 


PAUL'S    MESSAGE    TO    THE    ROMANS.  43 

and  the  millennium.  Pray  for  it,  that  you  may 
have  power  with  God  and  with  men,  and  prevail 
like  a  prince !  All  things  will  then  work  well 
for  you. 

If  any  of  you,  my  respectful  hearers,  are  yet 
unconverted,  to-day  give  your  hearts  to  Jesus ; 
repent  and  believe.  Farewell,  my  brethren  :  be 
perfect,  live  in  love,  and  God  will  bless  you. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


LETTER  :  NAPLES  AND  POMPEII. 

EFORE  I  left  Rome,  I  just  took  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  Pope's  summer 
seat,  called  the  "Palace  of  St.  Paul," 
and  situated  outside  of  the  city,  near  St.  Paul's 
Road,  or  the  Appian  Way. 

This  place  is  a  splendid  affair,  far  more  beau- 
tiful and  spacious  than  the  real  Vatican.  The 
rooms,  furniture,  pictures,  and  statues  are  of  a 
fine  order  and  finish,  all  of  the  first  style.  Real- 
ly I  was  struck  with  the  amplitude  of  the  man- 
sion, the  richness  and  variety  of  embellishments,' 
the  surrounding  gardens,  the  numerous  foun- 
tains, and  splendid  devices  on  all  hands.  Paul 
may  have  had  a  cottage  here. 

The  Pope  spends  here  three  mouths  of  the 
year  —  August,  September,  and  October  —  amid 

44 


NAPLES    AND    POMPEII.  45 

these  luxurious  profusions.  But  I  envy  him  not. 
They  generally  regard  St.  Paul's  as  more  healthy 
in  warm  weather  than  the  Vatican.  This  spa- 
cious palace  is  now  teuantless,  while  thousands 
of  the  poor  Catholics  are  homeless  ;  but  it  is  just 
like  Popery.  By  the  way,  Pope  Pius  IX.  is  a 
portly,  good-looking  old  man,  and  is  said  to  be 
moral  and  much  respected,  which  cannot  be  said, 
in  truth,  b'f  many  of  his  priests,  and  especially 
of  the  cardinals. 

I  left  Rome  for  this  place,  as  I  expected  and 
wrote.  We  came  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  by 
diligence,  and  were  thirty  hours  rolling  over  a 
good  road.  We  had  twenty-two  different  postil- 
ions on  the  way,  each  one,  and  many  others, 
begging  in  their  turn.  I  was  severely  annoyed 
by  them  and  their  treachery.  O,  the  ignorance, 
immorality,  and  degradation  of  Italy  ! 

Since  I  arrived  at  Naples  I  have  seen  and  en- 
joyed much.  A  few  days  ago  I  scaled  Mount 
Vesuvius,  walking  on  the  newly-formed  crust, 
while  the  white-hot  lava  ran  close  beneath,  be- 
low, and  in  veins  all  around.  Awful  picture ! 
Liquid  lire,  mountains  of  lava,  smoky  relics, 
muttering  thunder,  with  slight  shakes. 


46  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

At  the  "  tip  top  "  there  is  little  fire  to  be  seen, 
but  great  volumes  of  cloudy  smoke  roll  forth. 
New  craters  have  appeared  on  the  west  side  of 
the  mountain,  and  "are  now  most  frequently  belch- 
ing out  rolling  streams  of  liquid  fire  in  all  direc- 
tions, covering,  at  times,  small  huts  and  houses, 
burning  down  large  trees,  spreading  a  pall  of 
mourning  over  all  things  near  and  around.  Here 
was  terrible  consternation  only  a  few  nights  ago 
—  a  river  of  fire  rolling  swiftly  down  ! 

Yesterday  I  visited  Pompeii,  the  great  and 
noted  city  destroyed  by  eruptions  of  hot  water, 
ashes,  and  lava,  belched  forth  from  Mount  Ve- 
suvius. The  ruins  are  vast  and  untold.  Ex- 
huming is  going  on,  and  important  discoveries 
are  constantly  effected.  The  old  broken  col- 
umns, walks,  statues,  demolished  houses,  re- 
mains of  the  great  amphitheatre,  the  altars, 
forums,  fountains,  —  all  point  to  greatness  and 
grandeur  past.  I  saw  many  floors,  walks,  and 
walls  beautified  with  the  most  splendid  mosaic 
and  fine  workmanship,  representing  men,  beasts, 
birds,  fishes,  reptiles,  and  insects ;  yea,  victories 
and  history.  Once  the  fine  arts  were  there,  but 
now  the  gloomy  ruins. 


NAPLES    AND    POMPEII.  47 

I  have  just  visited  the  great  museum  of  Na- 
ples. It  is  really  rich  and  grand.  It  contains 
one  of  the  greatest  libraries  in  the  world,  and  a 
remarkably  rich  variety  of  choice  relics,  and 
magnificent  specimens  of  nature  and  art.  The 
bronze  statuary  is  fine  and  extensive,  and  much 
of  other  material  is  in  good  order  and  taste  ;  also 
many  others  are  united  from  broken  pieces  gath- 
ered from  old  ruins.  The  paintings  are  good, 
and  all  the  pictures  in  mosaic  are  truly  splendid. 
I  will  say  no  more  now  of  these  monuments  of 
departed  glory. 

I  have  had  a  most  pleasant  interview  with 
Rev.  Mr.  Pugh,  the  English  Church  minister, 
and  dined  with  him  and  family.  There  is  a 
sprinkling  of  Christianity  here,  but  we  want  a 
copious  shower.  O  that  the  Lord  would  revive 
his  work  here,  and  save  souls  !  This  is  emphat- 
ically a  missionary  field,  white  and  ready  for  the 
harvest.  I  am  in  prime  health  and  spirits.  Fare- 
well. 

Xaples,  December  13.  The  elite  of  cities  and 
nations  are  here,  and  with  poor,  degraded  Italians 
are  in  awful  contrast.  The  higher  classes  roll 
in  wealth,  splendor,  and  luxury ;  but  the  lower 


48  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

are    ignorant,    filthy,    lazy,    and    worse.       They 
seern  destitute  of  morality,  and  honor,  and  hope. 

I  like  Naples,  as  a  city,  better  than  Kome : 
there  is  more  heart  and  life.  The  situation, 
streets,  and  prospects  are  far  better.  The  Bay 
of  Naples  surpasses  all  others  in  beauty.  The 
streets  on  the  Crescent  Bay  contain  some  of  the 
finest  palaces,  houses,  hotels,  and  commanding 
views.  Nature  has  done  much  for  Naples.  It 
is  all  that  could  be  desired  physically ;  but  the 
people  have  abused  themselves  and  perverted 
everything. 

Our  American  minister,  Hon.  Mr.  Chandler, 
lives  in  a  splendid  mansion,  overlooking  the 
bay,  the  needle  points  of  the  Crescent,  and  the 
fiery  Mount  Vesuvius.  I  have  made  him  a  fash- 
ionable call,  and  had  a  cheerful  interview.  I  was 
acquainted  with  his  noble  family  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  and  enjoyed  their  hospitalities  there  some 
years  ago.  He  says  the  climate  of  this  city  does 
not  agree  with  his  health.  As  he  is  a  Catholic, 
he  is  well  surrounded  by  his  brethren.  But  as 
to  religion,  I  see  little  of  it  here,  even  in  form 
or  pretension,  except  occasionally. 

The  king  of  the   Sicilies   does   not  reside  in 


NAPLES   AND   POMPEII.  49 

Naples  for  fear  of  his  life,  except  to  stay  now 
and  then  a  night,  but  lives  or  stops  at  a  military 
post. 

This  being  a  seaport,  there  is  more  business 
and  enterprise  here  than  in  Rome,  and  many 
foreigners,  besides  visitors,  are  giving  tone  to 
commerce  and  improvements,  and  doing  some- 
thing for  pure  religion. 

Rev.  Mr.  Pugh,  whom  I  saw  last  week,  is  a 
fine,  social,  Christian  gentleman,  partly  sustained 
by  his  chaplaincy,  and  partly  by  other  means. 
He  has  a  good  congregation.  I  listened  to  his 
preaching  yesterday  with  interest  and  profit. 
No  revivals  here!  Dead,  dead,  dead  !  —  moral- 
ly and  spiritually  !  just  staying,  dragging  their 
"  slow  length  along,"  but  not  living.  Can- 
not something  be  done  to  save  Italy?  Cannot 
prayer  and  effort  reach  their  case  ?  The  tokens 
of  perdition  are  really  evident,  but  the  Great 
Physician  can  heal  the  vilest  souls.  I  have  often 
felt  sick  on  seeing  such  revolting  spectacles  of 
vice  and  degradation  in  Italy.  May  the  good 
Lord  preserve  America,  and  constrain  us  to  do 
our  duty  to  God  and  all  mankind  ! 

The  price  of  living  here  has  greatly  increased 
4 


50  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

of    late.      Hotels    and    boarding-houses   charge 

o  O 

about  the  same  as  in  America.  The  lower 
classes,  and  some  others,  may  get  alono-  more 
cheaply,  but  style  is  costly  even  in  Naples.  The 
Crimean  war  raised  prices. 

To-day  (D.  V.)  I  expect  to  leave  for  Sicily, 
Malta,  and  Egypt  by  a  French  steamer.  You 
know  St.  Paul  landed  at  Malta. 

The  weather  here  has  been  remarkably  wet, 
and  inconvenient  for  visiting  and  sight-seeino- ; 
but  when  I  get  to  Alexandria,  rain  will  not  so 
interpose.  We  have  had  here  only  two  or  three 
fair  days  for  two  weeks.  So  much  for  "  sunny 
Italy."  No  frosts  yet.  Orange  and  lemon 
trees  hang  full.  Gardens  are  green  and  fruit- 
ful as  in  summer.  The  natural  blessings,  sanc- 
tified by  true  religion,  would  make  this  a  para- 
dise 1 


CHAPTER    VII. 


LETTER  :     FROM   ITALY   TO   EGYPT. 

HAT  a  contrast !  Down  in  Egypt  land 
—  Alexandria !  Be  it  so.  While 
looking  back,  we  steamed  out  of  Na- 
ples, on  the  13th  of  December,  after  enjoying  a 
profitable  and  pleasant  visit. 

In  our  rear  we  left  the  dense  portion  of  the 
city,  lining  the  Crescent  Bay.  On  our  right 
appeared  high  hills,  fortifications,  Nero's  Baths 
(boiling  hot,  near  the  spot  called  Puteoli,  where 
Paul  landed  and  rested  on  his  way  to  Home) , 
and  also  many  high  and  beautiful  rocks,  pointing 
like  needles  at  the  Crescent's  "  Eye."  On  our 
left  were  the  rest  of  the  city-lined  "  Crescent," 
diversified  hills,  charming  valleys  and  villas,  all 
the  way  to  the  point ;  but  the  most  conspicuous 
and  crowning  of  all,  was  the  w  Old  Mount  Vesu- 

51 


52  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

vius,"  a  self-trimmed  beacon,  lighting  freely 
in  and  out  of  port  its  delighted  visitors  and 
guests. 

On  we  gazed,  and  on  we  sailed  a  few  hours, 
amidst  the  most  splendid,  along-shore  scenery, 
till  all  was  perfectly  eclipsed  by  the  huge,  high, 
ever-burning  Stromboli.  This  was  a  sublime 
spectacle  !  —  Nature's  chandelier  in  full  blaze, 
like  legions  of  tall-piped  furnaces,  elevated  and 
multiplied  in  full  blast,  with  "  old  Pluto  "  at  the 
bottom,  blowing  and  stirring  up  the  mighty 
flames.  Thus  we  passed  between  Scylla  and 
Charybdis  all  safe. 

We  stopped  a  while  at  Messina,  a  city  and  sea- 
port of  Sicily.  Here  is  a  fine  harbor,  and  all  is 
strongly  fortified.  The  people  appear  better, 
and  all  things  wear  an  improved  aspect  as  we 
distance  the  "  seat  of  the  beast."  This  island  is 
noted  as  a  resort  for  consumptive  invalids  in 
winter.  Many  Americans  have  come  on  to 
spend  the  cold  season.  Some  have  died. 

On  leaving  the  island,  we  soon  passed  Mount 
Etna,  but  its  flames  were  sleeping.  On  we 
sailed. 

The  Isle   of  Malta,   so  famous   in  Scripture, 


FROM    ITALY    TO    EGYPT.  53 

soon  greeted  our  anxious  eyes,  and  here  we 
landed — Paul-like,  perhaps,  though  not  wrecked 
—  near  St.  Paul's  Bay,  and  then  explored  its 
beauties.  This  is  a  small  and  rather  barren, 
rocky  island  —  a  military  stronghold  of  the  Eng- 
lish government.  It  is  a  fine  commercial  radi- 
ating point,  the  "  central  port "  for  ships  on  the 
Mediterranean,  and  quite  in  advance  of  other 
cities  just  named,  and  most  purely  English. 

I  visited  the  old  Catholic  church,  St.  John's. 
It  is  very  large,  and  of  symmetrical  form,  with 
fine  finish.  Bass-relief  and  costly  ornaments 
adorn  the  walls.  The  floor  is  variegated  with 
highly  wrought  marble  slabs,  overlaying  the 
tombs  of  some  scores  of  distinguished  Knights 
Templars  of  Malta.  Coats  of  arms,  and  all 
manner  of  devices  for  the  honored  dead,  were 
beautifully  inscribed,  according  to  art,  fact,  or 
fancy.  But  O,  how  soon  the  glory  of  the  world 
vanishes  away  ! 

After  leaving  Malta,  four  days  more  of  steam- 
ing brings  us  to  Alexandria  in  Egypt —  the  land 
of  the  Pharaohs.  Here  we  were  greeted  by  an 
army  of  "  flouring  windmills,"  lining  the  right 
shore,  as  if  to  escort  us  in  by  their  open,  long, 


54  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

flying  arms.  It  was  rather  squally  weather ; 
many  were  sea-sick,  and  the  port  was  hard  to 
enter.  But  best  of  all,  just  then,  I  found  a 
young  man  "  sin-sick  "  and  anxious  ;  so  I  admin- 
istered to  the  inquiring  soul,  as  if  I  were  quite 
at  home.  Would  that  myriads  more  would  cry 

«/  «/ 

for  salvation  in  this  benighted  region  !  O,  pray 
for  it ! 

Yesterday  I  worshipped  at  the  Episcopal 
and  Presbyterian  chapels.  Here  the  gospel 
work  is  hard,  but  sure. 

To-day  I  have  visited  the  old  Catacombs, 
Pompey's  Pillar,  the  cemetery,  Cleopatra's 
Needle,  the  great  canal,  and  various  bazaars. 
But,  O,  you  would  have  laughed  to  see  me 
riding  an  ass  on  a  gallop,  a  boy  running  along 
behind,  with  a  stick  to  goad  him  on,  through 
the  mud  or  sand,  jerking  the  donkey's  tail 
to  turn  him  right  or  left,  or  in  an  opposite 
direction,  till  the  little  silly  beast  stumbled, 
throwing  me  over  his  head,  and  himself  over 
me  —  a  ludicrous  plight,  but  not  so  bad  as  it 
might  have  been.  I  shall  learn  how  to  ride 
donkeys  by  and  by,  as  well  as  I  have  horses. 
I  like  this  city :  industry,  peace,  and  plenty 


FROM   ITALY   TO   EGYPT. 


55 


mark  the  place.  The  Arab  women  often  go 
veiled,  and,  I  am  told,  are  more  faithful  to  their 
Mohammedan  religion  than  those  of  other  creeds 
are  to  theirs.  Soon  I  am  off,  via  railroad, 
to  Cairo.  Adieu. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LETTER:  CAIRO  AND  THE  PYRAMIDS. 


LEFT  Alexandria  on  the  22d  instant, 
via  railroad,  for  this  place,  as  I  wrote 
you.  On  my  way  to  the  depot,  my 
little  donkey  turned  a  great  summerset  with  me,, 
making  a  laughable  picture  of  the  ass  and  its 
rider  exchanging  places  and  direction  ;  but  no 
great  harm  was  done  —  only  a  little  straining  of 
my  ankle,  caught  iirthe  stirrup. 

Our  whole  course  up  the  valley  of  the  Nile, 
from  Alexandria  to  Cairo,  was  through  a  most 
interesting  section  of  country,  resembling  one 
vast  prairie,  dotted  with  crops,  shrubs,  and  little 
mud  villages,  and  occasionally  some  better  build- 
ings ;  but  poverty  and  oppression  exist  here. 
For  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  the  land  is  very 

56 


CAIRO    AND   THE    PYRAMIDS.  57 

level,  \tith  only  now  and  then  a  little  ridge  or 
knoll  of  sand  to  build  on.  The  soil  is  rich, 
black,  fertile,  and  from  one  inch  to  twenty  feet 
deep,  mostly  alluvial.  Cotton,  wheat,  corn, 
grass,  herds  and  flocks,  with  many  fine  gardens 
and  orchards,  show  the  productive  power  of  the 
soil.  But,  O,  the  mud  houses  and  hamlets  !  — 
a  village  of  round  huts  with  no  windows,  but  an 
open  door  on  the  eastern  side  ;  a  village  of  mud, 
like  so  many  hay-cocks  encircling  a  big  hay- 
stack, the  chief,  living  in  the  centre  of  the  hum- 
ble black  group.  The  laboring  classes  thus  live 
like,  and  often  with,  the  brutes. 

There  are  no  fences.  They  sometimes  dig 
ditches  and  canals.  They  have  to  irrigate  their 
farms  at  this  season  to  secure  crops.  Pumps, 
mills,  and  water-proof  baskets  arc  used  to  ele- 
vate water  into  channels  for  this  purpose. 

Though  it  was  very  wet  at  Alexandria,  after  a 
distance  of  fifty  miles  all  was  drought  through 
to  Cairo.  Here  we  have  a  large  city  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  and  mul- 
titudes of  pilgrims.  The  place  is  marked  with 
many  beauties  by  nature  within  and  around,  and 
the  newer  part  by  industry  and  art. 


58  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

I  have  visited  the  great  citadel ;  the  mosque 
and  tomb  of  'Amer,  one  thousand  years  old;  the 
sepulchres  of  the  caliphs,  on  the  heights,  and 
near  the  precipice  where  the  Mamelukes  were 
driven  off  and  killed  by  the  Turks ;  also  the 
"  Well  of  Joseph,"  some  three  hundred  feet 
deep ;  and  many  other  spots  of  note  and  in- 
terest. 

The  mighty  Pyramids  show  their  towering 
heights  and  grandeur  in  the  twelve  miles'  dis- 
tance, appearing  singularly  beautiful  at  sunset 
above  the  vast  surrounding  plain.  There  is  a 
want  of  variety ;  and  these,  like  mounds  and 
hills,  stand  out  in  delightful  contrast  to  break 
the  monotony.  But  if  such  indefatigable  energy 
were  rightly  expended  to  raise  men  and  morals, 
exalt  minds  and  souls  to  heaven,  what  a  moral 
oasis  we  should  see  in  a  desert !  How  Mount 
Ziou  would  stand  up  in  glorious  contrast  with 
the  low  plains  of  old  Egypt  or  Sodom !  O,  the 
wretched  condition  of  nine  tenths  of  mankind  ! 
And  yet  how  little  is  being  done  by  Christians  ! 
Not  one  half  so  much  as  is  expended  for  tobacco, 
saying  nothing  of  rum  and  opium.  May  Ethi- 
opia soon  stretch  forth  her  hands  to  the  Lord ! 


CAIRO   AND   THE   PYRAMIDS.  59 

If  I  bad  permission  and  the  language,  I  would 
like  to  hold'  a  protracted  meeting  here.  But  no  ; 
I  must  leave  this  field  for  others.  God  directs. 

The  people  seem  quiet,  poor,  rather  temperate, 
—  except  in  smoking  tobacco,  — unaspiring,  and 
at  ease  in  their  sins.  I  pity  them. 

America  has  two  missionaries  here.  O  for 
scores  of  faithful  preachers  to  proclaim  Christ 
and  the  resurrection ! 

I  shall  make  more  explorations  soon,  and 
write  you  again.  Farewell  in  doing  good  ! 

December  24.  To-day  I  visited  the  ruins  of 
Heliopolis.  O,  what  must  Egypt  have  been  in 
its  pomp  and  glory !  The  monument  here  is 
much  like  Cleopatra's  Needle,  at  Alexandria, 
which  is  some  seventy-five  feet  high,  and  seven 
and  a  half  feet  square  at  the  base ;  while  Porn- 
pey's  Pillar  is  some  ten  feet  higher,  and  eight 
feet  square  at  its  base.  Both  are  beacon  orna- 
ments to  Alexandria.  But  this  of  Heliopolis  is 
some  fifty  feet  higher  than  either,  and  this  stands 
out  alone  some  twelve  miles  north  of  Cairo.  O, 
what  immense  power  and  art  were  required  to 
get  a  solid  piece  of  porphyry,  or  red  granite,  into 
such  a  place  and  position !  Nay,  the  strength 


60 


TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 


and  glory  of  Egypt  have  really  departed.     "  Sin 
is  a  shame  to  any  people." 


BEMAINS   OP  ON,    OK  HELIOPOLIS. 

I  visited  and  viewed  the  palace  and  harem  of 
Ibrahim  Pacha  to-day.  It  is  truly  a  great  affair, 
but  at  the  sacrifice  of  purity,  and  the  poor,  sinful 
pleasure  is  short. 

Cairo  is  surrounded  with  more  sand  and  un- 


CAIRO    AND    THE    PYRAMIDS.  61 

evenness  than  any  spot  lower  down  the  Nile. 
Corn,  dates,  oranges,  grapes,  olives,  figs,  and 
other  fine  fruits,  are  quite  plenty.  We  have  no 
apples,  except  what  come  here  from  Austria. 
Sugar-cane  is  abundant.  No  potatoes.  Toma- 
toes come  now  to  market  by  cart-loads.  We 
had  fish  for  dinner,  but  those  from  the  Nile  are 
rather  small  and  soft.  Beans,  lentils,  and  peas 
are  plenty  and  good,  and  so  are  vegetables  gen- 
erally, in  this  region. 

To-day  it  rained  powerfully  for  an  hour,  and 
the  streets  are  all  mud.  This  is  now  an  un- 
usual occurrence. 

Verily  I  am  all  out  with  donkeys,  they  tire  so 
quick  and  stumble  under  me,  though  I  lately 
rode  one  to  the  Pyramids  and  back  —  twenty- 
four  miles  —  in  one  day.  But  then  the  donkey 
boys  are  never  satisfied  with  the  stipulated  pay, 
—  so  it  is  in  most  other  cases,  —  and  they  will 


The  English  language  is  taught  in  the  schools, 
but  only  a  smattering  is  obtained. 

Water  is  carried  in  skins  and  jugs  to  the 
houses,  and  is  often  pumped  up  by  ox  or  mule 
power  to  irrigate  farms  and  gardens. 


62  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

* 

December  25.  I  wish  you  Merry  Christmas. 
The  weather  is  fine  arid  balmy.  In  going  to  the 
Pyramids  of  Ghizeh,  I  crossed  the  Nile  near 
where  Moses  is  said  to  have  floated  in  the 
smeared  rush  or  flag  basket.  You  are  cited  to 
the  very  spot,  and  shown  the  boat. 

I  went  on,  and  into  one  of  three  of  the 
vast  Pyramids  to-day  noon, — the  largest  is 
Cheops,  —  and  saw  six  more  but  a  little  way 
oiF.  O,  wonderful  labor,  superstition,  and  folly  ! 
One  of  these  measured  seven  hundred  feet  square 
at  its  base,  and  ran  up  by  contracting  steps  on 
the  four  sides  five  hundred  feet  high,  to  a  point 
or  platform.  All  of  these  are  on  the  margin  of 
a  sandy  desert.  The  Arabs  extort  a  good  deal 
of  money  from  visitors,  but  I  was  not  duped. 

I  notice,  along  the  Nile  and  desert,  many 
weak,  sore,  and  blind  eyes.  Some  say  dust, 
sun,  filth,  and  disease  really  produce  these  sad 
effects ;  but  it  seems  to  be  an  epidemic.  Poor 
creatures  !  They  sleep  in  hovels  of  mud,  and 
bask  in  the  sunshine,  and  lie  all  covered  with 
swarms  of  flies. 

Lord's  day,  26th.  I  attended  the  English 
Church  —  forty  hearers  present ;  also  the  Pres- 


CAIRO    &ND    THE    PYRAMIDS.  63 

byterian  Chapel  —  twenty  hearers  present.  I 
gave  a  "talk"  at  the  latter  011  revivals,  from  the 
text,  "Yet  there  is  room,"  arid  had  a  good 
season. 

I  saw  the  Pasha  twice  to-day,  drawn  in  a 
grand  coach  by  four  fine  black  horses.  He  is 
a  noble  personage.  This  is  a  great  day  here  for 
sports  and  dissipation.  Business  is  allowed  to 
go  on  as  usual,  save  a  little  less  of  it.  The 
wild,  dancing  dervishes  have  a  great  frolic  to- 
day, and  other  buffoons,  too. 

The  plague,  which  was  so  fearful  four  months 
ago,  has  passed  away  ;  yet  Egypt  is  under  quar- 
antine by  the  seaports  of  Joppa  and  Beirut. 

I  shall  soon  return  to  Alexandria,  where  I 
took  a  good  bath  in  the  Mediterranean  the  other 
day.  I  shall  go  on  to  Jerusalem  via  Athens, 
Smyrna,  and  Joppa.  So  I  view  the  "Bible 
lands"  as  we  go. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

SERMON  (IN  CAIRO)  :  A  GOSPEL  FEAST  IN  EGYPT. 

"Lord,  it  is  done  as  tliou  didst  command,  and  yet  there  is 
room."  — Luke  xiv.  22. 


'ELIGION  in  God's  kingdom  is  a  great 


JurfJ 

feast,   to  which   you   all   are   invited. 
Salvation    by   Jesus   Christ   is   freely 


offered.  All  of  every  class  who  come  to  it  are 
readily  and  graciously  welcomed  ;  and  yet  there 
is  room  —  room  for  you,  room  for  me,  and  room 
for  albmankind. 

In  the  good  providence  of  God  I  am  permitted 
to  visit  Cairo, —  the  laud  of  Joseph  and  Moses, 
—  and  address  you,  my  brethren  and  friends, 
as  an  ambassador  of  Jesus,  with  invitations  to 
you  all  to  share  the  great  supper. 

I  am  glad-,  that,  in  this  great  city  of  Cairo,  of 

64 


liOOM*  FOR   ALL.  65 

three  hundred  thousand  people,  —  the  city  of  the 
caliphs  and  caravans,  —  I  am  permitted  to  min- 
gle with  Christian  friends  in  the  worship  of  the 

O 

living  God,  and  to  preach  Christ  to  you,  and  the 
gospel  feast  to  all  who  will  come. 

Nothing  of  the  world  ever  satisfies  the  de- 
mands of  the  immortal  soul.  Men  have  sought 
it,  but  in  vain.  The  rich  valley  of  the  Nile 
yields  abundance  of  food  for  the  body,  but  not 
for  the  soul.  Behold  the  towering  Pyramid  of 
Cheops  or  Ghizeh,  twelve  miles  off,  at  the  south- 
west, standing  five  hundred  feet  high,  and  on  a 
base  of  equal  or  greater  width  —  all  significant 
of  earthly  crowns,  pride,  skill,  labor,  patience, 
costly  and  lasting  folly,  but  not  of  satisfaction 
to  the  immortal  mind.  Yet  there  is  room,  and 
eternal  fullness  in  Christ's  kingdom.  Earth's 
show  is  all  eclipsed. 

Divers  recreations,  and  all  kinds  of  worship, 
I  see  in  this  ancient  city,  but  little  of  the  true 
religion.  .  This  cannice,  or  church,  is  to  me  an 
oasis  in  a  desert.  Here  we  have  the  pure  gos- 
pel feast,  of  rich  satiety  and  grace.  Few  yet 
come  to  it,  while  the  many,  with  one  mind, 
make  their  vain  excuses. 
5 


66  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

Jesus  Christ  has  come  himself,  and  has  sent 
forth  his  evangelists  and  servants  to  win  sinners 
to  religion  and  to  eternal  life.  Many  are  called, 
but  few  are  chosen.  O,  what  sinful  excuses ! 
One  has  bought  ground,  and  must  go  to  see  it ; 
another  has  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  must 
try  them ;  and  the  last  has  married  a  wife,  and 
cannot  come.  They  wish  to  be  excused,  and 
God,  in  his  anger,  lets  them  alone.  As  it  was 
with  sinners  anciently,  so  it  is  now. 

Behold  the  missionaries  going  with  invita- 
tions into  the  highways,  to  call  everybody  to  the 
banquet  of  love,  saying,  "Yet  there  is  room." 
The  hedges  are  even  Scoured,  and  the  guests 
from  all  quarters  are  constrained  to  come  in. 
Come  and  enter  the  fold  of  the  good  Shepherd, 
who  will  lead  you  into  green  pastures,  and  be- 
side still  waters,  who  will  tenderly  watch  over 
you,  and  keep  you  safe  to  the  end. 

Blessed  be  God,  there  yet  is  room  ;  room 
for  you,  young  or  old,  rich  or  poor,  bond  or 
free,  sick,  lame,  or  lost;  for  all  repenting  sin- 
ners !  Yes,  there  is  room  in  the  arms  of  Jesus 
—  in  his  atonement,  in  his  sacrifice,  in  his  pres- 
ence chamber,  in  his  invitation  and  promises ; 


TI1E   GOOD    SHEPHKUL). 


G7 


ROOM   FOR   ALL.  69 

room  enough  in  Christ's  mercy,  in  the  baptismal 
waters,  at  the  Lord's  table,  in  the  church,  in  the 
prayer-meeting,  Sabbath  school,  missionary  field, 
for  all  our  numbers  and  powers ;  room  enough 
in  heaven,  in  the  Father's  house,  for  all  return- 
ing prodigals,  in  the  glorious  mansions  of  bliss, 
in  the  company  of  the  Triune  Jehovah,  and  of 
angels,  and  all  the  blood-washed  forever !  O, 
yes,  there  is  room  enough  in  paradise,  and 
we'll  have  a  shout  in  glory.  O,  why,  then, 
will  any  linger,  or  make  vain  excuses. 

O,  come,  sinners,  and  embrace  the  Saviour ! 
Now  is  the  appointed  time  and  the  day  of  sal- 
vation. 

And  now,  dear  brethren,  I  must  thank  you, 
under  God,  for  this  privilege.  Be  faithful  to 
souls  in  Cairo,  in  all  Egypt,  in  Africa,  in  the 
world.  I  shall  be  glad  to  meet  you  in  America ; 
yea,  in  the  resurrection  of  the  just,  and  in  heaven 
forever.  Farewell.  Amen ! 


CHAPTER  X. 
LETTER:   PATMOS  AND  SMYRNA. 

ANTJARY  1.  I  wish  you  all  a  Happy 
New  Year  ;  and  well  I  may,  for  I  feel 
a  kind  of  cheerful  inspiration  to-day. 
Who  can  wonder  at  the  revival  of  heavenly 
emotions  in  my  soul,  when  sacred  and  sublime 
associations  rush  so  vividly  upon  'my  mind? 
Mine  eyes  have  just  been  joyfully  greeted  with 
the  long-wished-for  sight  of  the  veritable  Apoca- 
lyptic "isle  that  is  called  Patmos,"  John's  pulpit. 
In  size  it  is  about  ten  miles  long  and  five  wide. 
The  surface  is  beautifully  diversified  by  rocky 
cliffs,  verdant  hills,  rich  ravines,  and  a  few  fer- 
tile plains.  Some  of  the  elevations  are  from  six 
to  seven  or  even  eight  hundred  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  On  the  north  is  the"  highest 
peak,  but  the  third  range  from  the  south  end  has 

70 


PATMOS   AND    SMYRNA.  71 

a  "city  on  a  hill."  Upon  this  beautiful  emi- 
nence, surrounded  with  hills,  ravines,  islands, 
and  seas,  is  a  fine  stone  mccting-house,  now 
occupied  by  the  Greek  Church,  —  Catholic  Bap- 
tists,—called  "St.  John  the  Divine."  We  be- 
held it  with  profound  emotions  of  solemn  awe, 
Christian  gratitude,  and  sacred  delight. 

We  could  not  define  the  precise  spot  on  whicb 
John  —  while  in  exile  and  in  prison,  and  under 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  —  wrote  the  book 
of  Revelation.  But  we  saw  the  place  where 
stands  the  unshaken  monument  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  and  the  true  Baptists,  their 
origin  and  succession.  The  baptistery  is  really 
there,  despite  all  the  heretical  innovations.  Yea, 
and  the  pure  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper  will  stand  till  Christ  comes  in  his 
glory.  O,  let  us  glory  only  in  the  cross,  and 
receive  the  plaudit,  "Well  done,  good  and  faith- 
ful servants ;  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  the 
Lord." 

January  6.  I  am  just  closing  my  five  days  of 
quarantine  on  board  of  an  Austrian  steamer,  in 
the  bay  of  old  Smyrna,  choosing  to  serve  my 
quarantine  where  I  can  enjoy  good  fare,  room, 
and  company,  rather  than  risk  my  chance  at  the 


72  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

lazaretto,  and  share  the  confinement  with  Turks 
and  other  foreigners. 

This  bay  is  very  picturesque,  and  the  very  best 
harbor  that  I  have  seen.  It  is  protected  on  the 
north,  south,  east,  and  west  by  splendid  high- 
lauds.  At  the  entrance  on  the  north-west,  nu- 
merous small,  elevated  islands  form  an  efficient 
guard.  Many  steamships  and  other  craft  find  a 
safe  refuge  and  anchorage  here. 

The  city  of  Smyrna  contains  about  eighty 
thousand  souls.  The  backgrounds  are  diversi- 
fied and  elevated,  draped  with  cypress  and  vege- 
tation, unscathed  by  frost.  The  Turkish  ceme- 
tery is  a  grove  of  cypress,  interspersed  with 
white  obelisks.  On  the  extreme  heights  are  the 
ruins  of  the  ancient  citadel  and  the  garrison. 
Thousands  of  cannon  from  these  points  might  be 
discharged  high  over  the  city  buildings,  and  ex- 
terminate an  armed  squadron  in  the  bay,  without 
harm  to  the  citizens.  On  the  south  side  of  the 
hill,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  old  citadel,  is  a 
modernized  Greek  chapel.  This  stands,  it  is 
credibly  said,  on  the  identical  spot  where  one  of 
the  primitive  "seven  churches  of  Asia"  once  held 
worship  (Rev.  ii.  8-11),  and  was  constructed, 
in  part,  of  the  old  remaining  stones  and  relics. 


PATMOS   AND   SMYRNA.  73 

There  is  now  an  old  baptistery  very  close  by,  and 
a  large  fountain  there  in  full  play. 

January  7.  To-day  the  Greek  churches  are 
celebrating  their  Christmas  —  twelve  days  later 
than  ours,  old  style  instead  of  new  style.  I  at- 
tended their  "  mass "  in  the  morning,  at  eight 
o'clock,  in  the  city  church,  and  in  another  in  the 
afternoon.  Their  exercises  were  chiefly  singing, 
reading,  kissing  sacred  pictures,  and  crossing 
themselves,  much  like  the  Roman  Catholics.  All 
stand  during  worship.  The  Greek  churches  are 
well  constructed  and  finely  adorned.  The  Turk- 
ish mosque  also  is  very  symmetrical  and  beauti- 
ful —  quite  charming. 

The  old  city  was  on  the  hill,  a  mile  off;  but 
the  present  one  lines  the  bay,  with  the v  newest 
part  on  the  north,  improved  by  the  English  and 
French  railroad  enterprise.  The  ruins  surround- 
ing Smyrna  signify  palmy  days,  greatness,  and 
glory,  Jong  departed. 

On  Lord's  day  last,  I  heard  Rev.  Mr.  Ladd 
preach  in  Turkish.  I  called  with  him  on  Rev. 
Mr.  Dodd ;  preached,  and  took  supper  with 
these  good  missionaries. 

I  am  off  to  Greece  in  a  day  or  two.   . 


CHAPTER  XI. 


SERMON  (IN  SMYRNA)  :   THE  SPIRIT'S  WORK. 

"  Be  filled  with  the  Spirit."  —  Eph.  v.  .18. 

FEEL  very  grateful,  my  dear  hearers, 
for  this  great  privilege. 

Here  I  am  in  an  ancient  city,  made 
famous  by  the  location  of  one  of  the  seven  prim- 
itive churches.  Near  by  this  is  a  house  of  wor- 
ship, built,  it  is  said,  of  the  stones  and  on  the 
ruins  of  the  first  temple.  Behold  the  fine  bap- 
tistery alongside  of  it,  and  other  corroborating 
evidences  !  Praise  God  ! 

Here  you  have  a  large,  growing,  commercial 
city,  surrounded  with  the  bay,  hills  and  splendid 
scenery,  bringing  to  our  minds  many  interesting 
associations.  Only  a  few  days  ago  I  viewed 
the  celebrated  Isle  of  Patmos.  O  that  we 

74 


THE  SPIRIT'S  WORK.  75 

may  be  filled  with  the  Spirit,  like  John  the 
divine  1 

Truly  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  meet 
brethren  Ladd  and  Dodd,  of  the  American  mis- 
sions, and  to  join  with  them  and  their  associates 
in  the  worship  of  God  in  this  foreign  land. 

Paul's  injunction  to  the  EpEesians  comes  very 
near  home  to  us.  A  short  distance  from  this  we 
see  that  once  noted  and  exalted  city,  now  in 
awful  ruins.  If  they  had  heeded  the  text,  how 
different  would  have  been  their  history ! 

My  dear  brethren  in  the  ministry  and  in  the 
membership,  endeavor  to  keep  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace  and  love. 

David  felt  assured  that  if  he  were  filled  and 
upheld  by  the  Spirit,  he  could  preach  effectively, 
and  that  sinners 'would  be  converted.  So  may 
we  be  sustained,  and  most  glorious  results  will 
follow.  Surrounded  as  you  are  by  people  of 
divers  tongues,  religions,  and  customs,  —  all 
perverted  by  sin,  error,  forms,  and  infidelity,  — 
you  must  feel  your  need  of  divine  help,  and  be 
often  found  at  the  mercy-seat.  And,  parents, 
gather  together  the  little  ones  whom  God  has 
given  you,  and  teach  them  to.  look  to  him  for 


76  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

help.  Mothers,  in  the  quiet  of  your  own  room, 
wait  with  them  often  before  God,  until  at  length 
the  place  of  prayer  shall  become  even  to  their 


"OL'R    FATHER,    WHO    ART    IN    HEAVEN." 

young  hearts  the  very  gate  of  heaven.  Level- 
ling and  building  up,  bringing  order  out  of  con- 
fusion, making  the  crooked  straight,  and  the  rough 


THE  SPIRIT'S  WORK.  77 

smooth,  are  not  done  by  might  nor  by  power, 
but  by  the  Spirit  of  Almighty  God. 

A  more  than  herculean  task  is  before  us,  and 
our  success  is  all  of  grace,  from  foundation  to 
top  stone.  Our  work  is  not  akin  to  that  of 
the  confused  and  disappointed  Babelites.  As 
the  word  of  the  Lord  endures  forever,  so  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  shall  be  consummated  for 
glory.  Let  us,  then,  work  out  our'  salvation, 
while  God  works  within  us  so  effectually. 

In  1857- and  1858  great  revivals  in  America 
gathered  many  thousands  into  our  churches,  and 
added  much  to  our  strength.  The  Holy  Spirit's 
influences  were  most  powerfully  manifested 
among  all  classes,  ages,  and  colors,  like  unto 
Pentecost. 

Would  that  the  "  small  voice,"  and  a  rushing 
mighty  wave  of  salvation,  might  come  and  sweep 
all  over  Smyrna,  and  all  the  vicinity,  and  the 
world !  Labor  on,  preach  on,  pray  on,  battle 
on,  covered  with  the  whole  panoply,  and  God 
will  crown  you  with  good  success,  and  with  the 
glorious  benediction  at  the  end. 

I  soon  must  leave  you,  brethren,  for  Athens, 
Beyroot,  Joppa,  and  Jerusalem.  But  if  I  see 


78  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

you  no  more  in  the  flesh,  I  hope  to  enjoy  the  in- 
fluence of  your  prayers,  and  at  last  to  share  all 
the  blessings  of  heaven  with  you  and  the  blood- 
washed  in  immortal  glory. 

Let  us  make  every  sacrifice  in  our  power,  be 
cheerful  and  faithful  in  all  our  ministrations,  till 
Jesus  shall  call  us,  one  by  one,  to  that  rest  pre- 
pared for  God's  people.  Amen.  Please  sing,  — 

"  Come,  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  Dove, 
With  all  thy  quickening  powers, 
Come,  shed  abroad  a  Saviour's  love, 
And  that  shall  kindle  ours." 


CHAPTER    XII. 


LETTER:  ATHENS. 

ANUARY  13.  The  roar  of  camion, 
ringing  of  bells,  bands  of  music,  and 
shouts  of  the  populace,  ushered  in 
this  glorious  morning.  But  what  means  all  this 
general  parade  ?  Why,  it  is  New  Year's  with  the 
Greeks  —  their  great  holiday  !  I  have  a  double 
share  of  such  this  season  —  passing  from  the  new 
into  the  old  style.  At  ten  o'clock  A.  M.,  the 
people  gathered  in  crowds  at  the  St.  Irene 
Chapel,  while  the  king's  guards  and  the  military 
lined  the  sidewalks  and  the  grand  entrance  to 
the  chapel.  All  was  silent  for  a  moment.  In 
came  the  archbishop  and  his  subordinates.  Gen- 
eral excitement  now  seized  the  people.  Lo,  all 
were  on  tiptoe,  and  all  eyes  were  turned  to  the 
royal  door.  Behold  King  Otho  and  the  Queen 

79 


80  TRAVELS   IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

of  Greece  I  In  they  came,  arm  iii  arm,  walking, 
bowing,  smiling,  and  took  their  stand  on  a  tem- 
porary throne,  in  front  of  two  big  golden  chairs, 
and  there  stood,  during  the  whole  service,  for 
three  quarters  of  an  hour.  How  it  would  tire 
some  of  our  dignitaries  or  fashionables  to  stand 
thus  !  The  Greeks  seek  no  bodily  ease  in  wor- 
ship. 

The  reading,  and  singing,  and  crossing  were 
much  like  the  Roman  service.  The  king  was 
dressed  in  military  uniform,  and  the  noble  queen 
in  superb  watered  silk,  adorned  with  gold  lace, 
chains,  and  rich  jewels.  She  is  the  ruler,  the 
people  say,  and  also  qtiite  intellectual,  popular, 
and  enterprising. 

After  service  in  the  chapel,  the  royal  couple 
retired,  amidst  vociferous  shouts  and  lively  mu- 
sic, re-entered  their  courtly  carriage,  drawn  by 
six  richly  caparisoned  black  horses,  and  returned 
to  their  fine  palace.  This  is  just  east  of  the  city, 
a  half  a  mile  off,  in  the  midst  of  a  large  garden 
of  fruit  and  flowers,  with  fine  walks  and  bowers, 
skilfully  laid  with  mosaic. 

In  the  afternoon  I  called  at  the  palace,  and 
viewed  its  internal  arrangements  and  guests, 


ATHENS.  81 

and  also  the  concomitant  adornings  and  sur- 
roundings. I  then  called  on  Rev.  Dr.  King,  the 
missionary,  at  his  own  splendid  residence  and 
chapel.  He  has  done  much  for  Greece,  though 
he  is  still  far  from  being  satisfied.  He  is 
wealthy,  lives  in  style,  and  "labors,"  he  says, 
"  to  lay  the  foundation  for  future  success."  The 
converts,  he  says,  are  few  —  very  few.  He  has 
formed  no  church  yet.  The  Baptists  have  no 
church  organization  in  Greece  at  present,  and 
have  only  one  remaining  Greek  convert  there 
from  all  our  missions.  This  is  brother  Deme- 
trius Sackellarius,  and  he  will  start  soon  for 
America. 

The  American  consul  (a  Greek,  by  the  way) 
says,  "The  Baptists  did  wisely  in  giving  up  their 
missions  here,  and  recalling  their  missionaries, 
and  there  is  little  hope  or  chance  to  make  cap- 
ital or  Christians  of  Greek  materials."  (An 
outside  view.) 

I  have  called  on  Professor  Dickson,  a  Baptist 
of  the  first  water ;  and  here  I  found,  in  fine  quar- 
ters, in  a  room  ample  and  comfortable  for  study 
and  observation,  our  beloved  old  friend,  Pro- 
fessor Hackett,  D.  D.,  prosecuting  the  study  of 
6 


82  TRAVELS    IN    BIliLE   LANDS. 

modern  Greek,  and  the  revision  of  the  New 
Testament,  with  great  diligence  and  success. 
Brother  Hackett  has  just  returned  from  Phi- 
lippi,  and  is  truly  eloquent  when  speaking  of  the 
remains  of  this  ancient  city,  the  old  gate,  and 
the  river  where  Lydia  sat  and  heard  Paul 
preach.  He  is  also  well  convinced  of  the  right- 
eousness of  his  cause,  and  the  necessity  of  the 
Bible  Union  enterprise,  into  which  he  goes  with 
all  his  great  heart.  I  often  enjoyed  his  society 
and  help,  when  he  was  at  leisure,  in  visiting  the 
towering  Acropolis,  Parthenon,  Temples  of  Jupi- 
ter, Victory,  and  Theseus,  the  Stadium,  Mars' 
Hill  (where  Paul  once  preached  Christ  and  the 
resurrection),  and  many  other  places  of  note 
and  interest.  I  also  visited  the  rocky  prison  of 
Socrates,  in  a  hill-side,  and  ran  through  the  old 
Stadium.  I  stood,  too,  where  Demosthenes  de- 
livered his  eloquent  harangues  and  philippics  to 
vast  multitudes.  The  rostrym  is  large,  and  in 
usual  form,  made  in  bold  relief,  some  eight 
feet  high,  ten  deep,  and  twelve  wide,  by  dig- 
ging back  into  the  brow  of  the  hill  for  a  back 
gallery,  excavating  the  rock  on  three  sides,  leav- 
ing steps,  seats,  table,  all  solid.  Here  is  the 


ATHENS.  83 

stand-point  for  the  speaker,  commanding  with 
his  voice  thirty  or  forty  thousand  hearers,  while 
catching  with  his  eye  the  inspiring  views  of  hills 
and  mountains,  valleys  and  bays,  Brook  Ilissus, 
sea  and  land,  city  and  country,  nature  and  art. 
How  sublime  !  Nay,  it  is  all  grand  beyond  de- 
scription, and  very  inspiring. 

The  hills  round  about  are  numerous  and  high, 
especially  the  Hymettus,  and  mostly  of  lime- 
stone or  marble.  The  ruins  are  very  wide- 
spread, and  awfully  gigantic.  Men  have  delight- 
ed in  destroying  each  other  and  their  respective 
works,  and  then  of  carving  their  own  victories 
on  stone  in  bass-relief,  as  now  seen  among  the 
splendid  ruins,  and  showing  what  Greece  once 
was,  m  her  palmy  days,  in  arts,  science,  and 
success,  as  well  as  in  the  field  of  battle.  But 
she  has  come  down  wonderfully !  Thus  passes 
away  the  glory  of  the  world ! 

The  present  city  of  Athens  is  newly  built,  ex- 
cept a  little  portion  in  the  southern  part,  and  is 
constructed  well  for  use,  comfort,  and  beauty. 
It  contains  now  some  forty  thousand  inhabitants, 
most  of  whom  have  come  in  within  fifty  years. 
Wonderful  increase  and  progress  !  Modem  Ath- 


84  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

,ens  is  far  in  advance  of  any  city  of  the  Orient, 
or  east  of  France,  in  all  respects  except  in  reli- 
gion, and  is  fast  increasing  in  arts,  science,  lit- 
erature, commerce,  and  manufactures. 

On  Lord's  day,  the  16th  instant,  we  had  a 
Baptist  covenant  and  preaching  meeting  at  the 
house  of  brother  Dickson,  where,  by  previous 
request,  I  preached  to  an  interested  and  select 
audience,  and,  with  the  aid  of  Dr.  Hacketf,  ad- 
ministered the  Lord's  Supper  to  seven  happy 
commemorators.  We  had  a  precious  melting 
season,  the  first  of  the  kind  enjoyed  by  Athe- 
nian Christians  for  seven  years.  It  was  truly  an 
oasis  in  a  moral  lonely  desert. 

In  the  afternoon  we  dined  at  brother  Dick- 
son's,  then  heard  Dr.  Hill  (Episcopalian)  preach 
on  prayer,  very  happily  and  eloquently,  though 
in  Greek.  In  the  evening  I  preached  in  Dr. 
King's  house  to  a  mixed  'audience  of  Americans, 
Englishmen,  Norwegians,  and  Greeks. 

Brother  Demetrius  Sackellarius,  a  Greek  bap- 
tized by  brother  Buel,  is  possessed  of  piety  and 
talent  of  great  promise.  He  is  skilled  in  Greek, 
ancient  and  modern,  and  has  a  good  smattering 
of  English.  He  wishes  to  get  over  to  America, 


ATHENS.  85 

to  perfect  himself  in  our  language.  As  he 
desires  to  proclaim  the  gospel,  and  needs  help, 
I  wish  him  a  place  in  the  Bible  Union  Rooms  in 
New  York. 

On  the  18th  instant  the  Greeks  had  a  great 
day  in  the  Bay  of  Pirseus,  the  port  of  Athens. 
Some  five  thousand  people,  priests,  soldiers,  and 
private  citizens,  vied  with  each  other  to  gain  the 
sea-shore,  to  witness  or  participate  in  the  im- 
mersion of  the  cross.  This  was  performed  in 
our  presence  with  great  pomp,  many  priests  and 
people  taking  a  great  interest  in  this  supersti- 
tion. After  the  baptism  of  the  cross,  a  number 
of  men,  almost  naked,  plunged  into  the  conse- 
crated waters  of  the  Archipelago. 

The  whole  region  abounds  with  small  monas- 
teries, supplied  with  oil  and  tapers  for  private 
worshippers,  on  the  hills  and  in  the  valleys. 

This  city  is  a  profitable  school  for  the  Chris- 
tian or  the  scholar.  O,  I  bless  God  for  these 
opportunities,  and  for  grace  to  consecrate  all  to 
his  glory. 

I  expect  soon  to  return  to  Smyrna,  and  go, 
via  Cyprus,  —  Paul's  route, — to  Palestine. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SERMON   (IN   ATHENS)  :    CONSTRAINING    LOVE. 

"  For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us."  —  2  Cor.  v.  1-i. 

Y  dear  brethren,  assembled  for  the  wor- 
ship of  God  in  this  noted  ancient  city, 
I  was  truly  glad  when  I  received  your 
kind  invitation,  through  Dr.  Hackett,  to  preach 
to  you,  and  also  to  administer  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per. Heavenly  associations  now  rush  powerfully 
upon  my  mind,  from  eighteen  hundred  years 
past,  and  also  the  anticipations  of  the  future. 
I  behold  in  our  number  this  morning  Professor 
Hackett,  D.D.,  of  America;  brother  Dickson, 
formerly  of  Corfu ;  brother  Demetrius  Sackella- 
rius,  the  only  remaining  Greek  convert  of  our 
Baptist  missions,  immersed  by  brother  Buel ; 
and  five  other  brethren  in  the  Lord.  How  small 

86 


CONSTRAINING   LOVE.  87 

but  choice  is  this  little  band  of  Americans,  Eng- 
lishmen, Norwegians,  and  Greeks !  By  sov- 
ereign grace,  we  have  our  positions  and  our 
power. 

There  the  apostle  Paul  stood,  on  Mars'  Hill, 
just  out  south  of  the  city ;  looked  all  over  the 
bay  of  Piraeus,  the  Acropolis,  the  temples,  the 
Stadium,  Mount  Peutelicus,  and  Mount  Hymet- 
tus ;  and  preached,  to  the  ancient  and  supersti- 
tious Athenians,  Christ  and  the  resurrection. 
I  was  delighted,  a  few  days  ago,  in  visiting  that 
memorable  Mars'  Hill,  in  company  with  brother 
Hackett,  to  go  up  the  old,  steep  steps,  to  sit  in 
the  Areopagus,  to  behold  the  classic  surround- 
ings, and  to  read  Paul's  old  sermon. 

Truly  we  have  shared  a  rich  "  feast  of  reason 
and  flow  of  soul"  in  visiting  Athens.  I  trust 
we  are  enjoying  only  the  spiritual  earnest  of  a 
more  glorious  but  not  distant  future. 

To-day  is  a  most  memorable  day,  especially 
with  some  of  you,  my  brethren,  as  you  are  to 
celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper  for  the  first  time  in 
seven  long  years.  May  the  Lord  prepare  us  for 
the  great  and  solemn  occasion  ! 

The  love  of  Christ  constrains  us.     This  love 


88  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

is  the  motive  power  of  heaven,  and  the  control- 
ling power  of  all  Christians.      It  is   co-existent 


"GOD  is  LOVE." 


and  co-extensive  with  Christianity,  and  all  true 
reformation  on  earth.  "Love  fulfils  the  law." 
Christ's  love  is  manifested  in  creation,  provi- 


CONSTRAINING   LOVE.  89 

dence,  revelation,  redemption,  salvation,  sancti- 
fication,  and  glorification.  How  infinite  !  This 
love  is  great  —  converting,  wonderful,  adapting, 
almighty,  abiding,  everlasting. 

All  heaven  is  full  of  love,  and  its  moving 
power.  God  himself  is  love ;  and  Christ  is  the 
brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person.  Angels  are  governed  by 
this  vital  principle  in  all  their  acts  and  ministra- 
tions. Christians  of  divers  names  are  character- 
ized by  its  divine  attributes  in  all  their  conquests 
for  Jesus  —  in  all  their  graces  and  glory.  This 
is  our  Alpha  and  Omega. 

The  constraining  love  of  Christ  contains  all 
the  elements  of  godly  action,  enterprise,  success, 
victory,  happiness,  and  heaven.  How  Tutile, 
then,  for  good,  are  all  .other  powers  ! 

Let  us  sever  all  the  bonds  of  sin,  the  flesh, 
and  the  world,  and  give  ourselves  up  to  the 
reigning  power  of  love  in  all  things.  Let  us 
be  faithful  and  prayerful  to  the  end,  and  by  rich 
grace  Christ  will  gather  us  into  heaven  above. 
Let  us  now  commemorate  the  Lord's  Supper. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

LETTER  :     BEYROOT   VIA   PAUL'S    ROUTE. 

JEBRTJARY  i.     i  left  Athens,  as  i 

expected  to  do  when  I  last  wrote 
you.  On  our  wray  we  stopped  at 
Scio,  one  of  the  most  fertile  islands  in  the  archi- 
pelago. Then  Mytilene  ranges  next  in  produc- 
tiveness. 

This  part  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea  is  full  of 
small  islands,  mostly  barren,  rocky,  of  a  whitish 
color,  and  not  one  in  a  hundred  has  any  beacon 
light;  yet  scarcely  a  shipwreck  occurs,  or  uny 
serious  accident,  though  the  sailing  is  mostly 
done  by  night.  And  why  is. this?  Because  the 
pilots  and  other  officers  are  so  temperate  and 
watchful,  and  are  made  liable  for  any  damage  by 
carelessness.  They  must  prove  their  own  faith- 
fulness. 

90 


BEYROOT   VIA   PAUL'S   ROUTE.  91 

On  the  Lord's  day  after  I  left  Athens,  I  was 
again  at  Smyrna,  and  heard  the  Congregational 
and  Episcopal  preachers.  In  the  evening,  in 
Kev.  Mr.  Dodd's  house,  I  preached  to  a  very 
select  audience  of  many  different  nations.  I 
soon  left  in  a  French  steamer,  and,  on  the  26th 
of  January,  passed  out  by  the  islands  Samos, 


DAMASCUS. 


Rhodes,  Cyprus,  and  many  others,  and  even  saw 
Mount  Taurus,  in  Asia  Minor,  high,  command- 
ing, beautiful.  So  we  stopped  at  Messena,  the 
seaport  Tarsus,  and  cast  our  eyes  over  the  birth- 
place of  Paul.  We  took  in  cargo  generally  by 
day,  and  steamed  on  by  night ;  but  I  took  turns 
with  a  travelling  friend,  and  kept  a  good  watch 


92  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

for  the  sights.  This  is  a  picturesque  and  inter- 
esting country,  well  worth  visiting.  Latakia, 
—  called  anciently  "Laodicea,"--they  say,  pre- 
sents many  interesting  ruins,  but  has  lately  been 
much  improved.  This  was  once  a  grand  and 
notable  city.  It  is  now  the  port  of  Autioch, 
once  noted  for  the  Christian  name,  but  now  for 
its  exports  of  tobacco  and  fine  sponge. 

Tripoli  manufactures  silk,  and,  like  most  cities 
along  shore,  is  fast  improving. 

Beyroot  is  an  enterprising,  beautiful  mission- 
ary city,  of  some  forty  thousand  population. 
This  is  the  chief  seaport,  outlet  and  inlet,  for 
the  great  city  of  Damascus,  and  a  large  extent 
of  back  country.  This  port  is  a  fine  one.  The 
city  is  wide-spread,  undulating,  beautifully  varie- 
gated with  fine  buildings,  gardens,  orange  trees, 
and  mulberries.  Here  is  the  general  centre  of 
the  American  missions  in  Syria. 

I  met  brethren  Herter,  Blfss,  Ford,  Calhoun, 
and  half  a  dozen  others  of  the  missionaries,  and 
dined  with  them.  Yea,  I  was  a  bearer  to  them 
of  two  pairs  of  donkey  saddle-bags  from  Smyrna, 
for  the  ladies'  use  in  distributing  books  on  their 
missionary  tours. 


BEYliOOT    VIA   PAUL'S    KOUTE.  93 

All  the  enterprise  and  religious  influence 
comes  in,  or  is  chiefly  sustained,  from  America. 
The  people  are  improving  every  way. 

Antioch  and  the  Lebanon  mountains  show  now 
their  snow-capped  summits.  When  we  sail  I 
shall  sit  up  all  night  to  see  Sidou,  that  old, 


SIDON. 


old  city,  once  so  famous  and  cultivated,  but  now 
weak  and  decayed,  though  beautiful  for  situation  ; 
Tyre,  whose  greatness  and  glory,  and  even  its 
walls,  God,  by  his  judgment,  so  fully  overthrew ; 
and  other  marked  places  along  shore,  on  my  way 
to  Joppa. 


94  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

The  Pasha  of  Damascus,  with  his  numerous 
wives  and  servants,  has  here  joined  our  ship's 
company.  They  are  going  to  old  Egypt. 

O,  the  curse  of  Jehovah  seems  to  rest  on  all 
this  sinful  region.  What  can  be  done?  Some- 
thing has  been  accomplished,  yet  it  is  but  as 
dust  in  the  balance.  The  people  seem  to  have 
little  or  no  conscience.  In  America,  hard  as 
sinners  are,  one  sermon  will  do,  apparently,  as 
much  as  fifty  here.  But  I  must  leave.  So 
good  by. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


FROM   JOPPA   TO   JERUSALEM. 

EBRUARY  13.  After  leaving  Beyroot, 
we  took  observations  by  the  way,  and 
arrived  at  Joppa,  Palestine,  on  the  4th 
of  February,  as  we  had  contemplated.  Blessed 
sights  and  thoughts  all  the  way. 

Joppa  is  a  walled  city,  the  nearest  seaport  to 
Jerusalem,  situated  on  a  high  blufl',  and  contains 
about  ten  thousand  people.  It  has  no  harbor, 
and  is  all  rock-bound  —  a  dangerous  place  for 
ships  in  a  storm.  We  usually  anchor,  in  fair 
weather,  a  mile  or  two  out  in  the  bay,  and  so 
communicate  with  the  shore  by  other  water-craft. 
This  is  an  old  and  somewhat  dilapidated  place, 
but  it  is  improving,  and  does  considerable  busi- 
ness. Here  Jonah  embarked  for  Tarshish,  and 
Peter  had  a  vision  on  evangelism.  The  whole 

95 


96  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

city  stands  high,  and  on  a  rocky  foundation,  and 
is  beautifully  lined  on  the  south  and  east  with 
gardens,  orange  orchards,  and  other  trees. 

We  visited  our  mission,  also  the  places  noted 
as  the  old  home  of  Dorcas,  and  the  remains  of 
Simon's  old  tannery.  Truly  we  saw  many  cor- 
roborating facts  and  signs  in  the  large  stone  vat 
and  the  numerous  graduated  tanning-kettles  near 
by,  placed  in  due  order  for  the  business.  Shall 
the  voice  of  the  people  be  credited  ? 

We  left  Joppa  for  Jerusalem,  in  company  with 
some  experienced  travellers,  on  horseback.  Our 
first  ride  was  through  the  rich,  fruitful,  farming 
valley  of  the  famous  Sharon,  till  we  arrived  at 
the  village  of  Ramleh,  the  birthplace  of  Joseph, 
where  we  lodged  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Convent, 

*— • 

and  so  fared  well  every  way.  The  Lord  reward 
them ! 

This  lodge  is  the  centre  of  a  large  and  pro- 
ductive grain  valley,  and  some  two  miles  from 
Ludd,  or  Lydda,  where  Peter  cured  the  paralytic. 
All  ready  we  started  at  seven  o'clock  next  morn- 
ing, with  our  attendant  muleteers  and  equipage  for 
the  Holy  City.  So  we  rode  through  ravines,  over 
the  undulations,  up  hill  and  down  hill,  over  slip- 


FROM   JO1TA    TO    JERUSALEM.  1)7 

pery  rocks,  ugly  rough  places,  indescribable  gul- 
lies, and  sharp  pitches,  till  we  crossed  the  great 
mountain  range,  four  miles  west  of  Jerusalem. 
Tired,  lame,  and  badly  worn,  on  beholding,  in 
the  distance,  the  great  dome,  the  high  tower, 
and  the  numerous  pinnacles  in  Jerusalem,  we 


JERUSALEM. 


forgot  it  all  for  the  moment,  thanked  God,  and 
gloried  in  the  holy  sight. 

At  four  o'clock  P.  M.  we  arrived  at  the  beloved 
city,   entered  Jaffa  Gate,  at  the  Tower  of  Da- 
vid,   on  the    Street   of    David,    and   rode,    and 
walked,  and  slid  along;  for  my  horse  slipped  so 
7 


98  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

badly  on  the  smooth  pavements,  and  I  was  too 
much  crippled  to  ride  safely.  Here  we  stopped 
at  the  Mediterranean  Hotel,  kept  by  a  noble 
Greek,  speaking  English.  Here,  at  last,  weary, 
chafed,  thirsty,  with  bones  aching,  I  felt  to  re- 
joice, and  to  bless  God  for  his  grace. 

It  may  seem  strange, — but  so  it  is,  —  after 
resting  a  while  at  the  inn,  I  took  board  and 
lodgings  at  the  Latin  convent,  Casa  Nuova 
—  a  house  for  strangers,  and  purely  Roman 
Catholic.  The  house  is  large,  and  six  stories 
higli,  made  of  stone.  I  have  a  good  room,  cot- 
ton bed,  and  an  iron  bedstead.  Our  table  fare 
is  good  Italian,  and  the  monks  wait  on  us 

O  * 

with  every  degree  of  kindness. 

Truly  I  fare  well  in  this  walled  city,  in  a 
Koniish  monastery ;  but  I  use  the  white  veil 
only  nights — against  the  musical  mosquitos. 

Since  my  arrival,  I  have  often  met  with  Dr. 
Barcley  and  family,  who  were  once  my  hearers 
in  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  with  Elder  Jones,  an 
old  friend  from  Pennsylvania.  They  are  here  as 
missionaries,  and  both  are  studying  Arabic,  and 
preaching  too,  laying,  as  they  think,  a  foundation 
for  future  success  and  a  copious  harvest. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


SERMON  (IN  JERUSALEM)  :   MOUNT  ZION'S  GLORY. 

"  For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel ;  for  it  is  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believes,  to  the  Jew  first, 
and  also  to  the  Greek."  —  Rom.  i.  16. 

EN  and  brethren,  children  of  the  living 
God,  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to 
meet  you  on  this  consecrated  spot,  on 
Mount  Zion,  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  "When  I 
arose  this  fine  morning,  I  seemed  to  awake  from 
a  dream,  and  looked  with  wonder  upon  the  Holy 
City,  so  beautiful  for  situation,  and  made  the 
joy  of  the  whole  earth.  Glorious  Lord's  day  ! 
What  association  from  events  of  many  thousands 
of  years  fills  my  mind  and  overflows  my  soul ! 

I   feel   unworthy  of  these   unspeakable  priv- 
ileges.    Let  us  praise  Jehovah  for  his  wonderful 

99 


100  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

works  for  the  children  of  men ;  yea,  for  our 
eternal  salvation.  I  behold  on  the  west  the 
great  Mount  Lebanon  range ;  on  the  north,  the 
mountains  of  Gilboa;  on  the  east,  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  the  banks  of  the  Jordan,  the  Dead 
Sea,  and  Mount  Pisgah ;  and  on  the  south,  the 
Convent  of  Elias,  city  of  Bethlehem,  and  Hebron. 
What  a  central  stand-point !  What  a  focal  point 
of  interest,  of  observation,  and  of  radiating  in- 
telligence !  The  panorama  of  six  thousand  years 
looms  up  before  me,  as  by  a  reflecting,  burning 
mirror.  O,  the  cross,  the  bloody  cross,  is  the 
great  elevating,  drawing,  radiating  power  !  Here 
we  come  like  pilgrims  to  see,  to  read,  to  reflect, 
to  feel,  to  renew  our  vows,  to  increase  our  pow- 
er, to  grow  in  grace,  and  to  secure  an  increase  of 
the  apostolic  inspiration  for  glorifying  God  and 
saving  souls.  May  we  be  endued  with  .power 
from  on  high,  as  they  were  on  the  memorable 
day  of  Pentecost. 

I  observe  here  brethren  Jones,  and  Bettin<rer, 

o        ' 

and  Purington,  and  many  others  from  America, 
and  also  a  representation  from  all  parts  of  Chris- 
tendom. I  am  truly  glad  to  meet  with  you,  dear 
friends,  under  these  auspicious  circumstances, 


MOUNT    ZION'S    GLOTIY.  101 

and  to  fraternize  with  you  in  the  worship  of  God, 
and  in  preaching  the  gospel  for  the  salvation  of 
sinners. 

Here  the  great  commission  was  proclaimed, 
"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gos- 
pel to  every  creature."  So  the  disciples  were 
endued  with  divine  power,  and  went  forth,  as 
they  were  divinely  bidden,  and  success  followed 
them. 

The  sacred  text  is  a  bold,  and  hearty,  and 
godly  confession  of  the  apostle  Paul.  He  tes- 
tifies, thus  positively  and  clearly,  by  letters,  by 
words,  and  by  deeds.  This,  too,  is  the  univer- 
sal testimony  and  vital  principle  of  all  true 
Christians,  from  John  the  Baptist  down  to  the 
present  moment :  they  stand  up  for  Jesus. 

We  have  good  and  cogent  reasons  for  assert- 
ing the  text,  and  evincing  it  in  our  lives. 

The  gospel  is  of  the  highest  origin  —  it  is  a 
revelation  from  God,  from,  heaven,  from  eternity, 
by  Jesus  Christ,  and  through  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  it  is  all-worthy  of  the  source  from  which  it 
came.  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in 
the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  Glorious 
religion  I 


102  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

Life  and  immortality  are  brought  to  light  t>y 
the  gospel.  Here  we  see  light  in  Christ's  light, 
and  behold  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  God,  and 
are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to 
glory  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  What  an  internal  and 
external  mirror ! 

The  gospel  brings  us  peace  like  a  river,  and 
righteousness  like  the  waves  of  the  sea.  O, 
what  sweet  peace  I  have  enjoyed  in  Christ  since 
I  first  believed !  Yea,  what  joy  I  have  had  in 
preaching  this  gospel  in  all  parts  of  Christen- 
dom !  Yea,  glory  be  to  God  for  more  than 
thirty  thousand  converts,  in  numerous  revivals, 
who  have  professed  conversion  under  our  preach- 
ing. What  has  God  wrought ! 

Salvation  is  commensurate  and  runs  parallel 
with  the  knowledge  and  power  of  the  good 
news.  The  preaching  of  Christ  was  as  life  from 
the  dead.  The  law  and  the  prophets  were  until 
John ;  since  then  the  kingdom'  of  God  is  pro- 
claimed. A  new  dispensation  is  now  begun. 
God  can  be  just,  and  also  the  justifier  of  all  who 
believe  in  Jesus.  He  who  believes  and  is  bap- 
tized shall  be  saved. 

The  gospel  is  the  sharp,  two-edged  sword,  of 


MOUNT   ZION'S    GLORY.  103 

old  Jerusalem  blade  and  of  heavenly  temper, 
which  never  bends,  nor  breaks,  nor  reacts 
against  the  Christian  soldier,  but  does  glorious 
execution  to  the  hilt,  slaying  and  making  alive 
by  millions.  God  —  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit,  in  Trinity  —  speaks,  and  it  is  done.  A 
threefold  cord  is  not  easily  broken,  and  this 
union  and  power  are  invincible  —  mighty  !  Gos- 
pel power  is  the  source  of  regeneration,  as  we 
are  begotten  by  his  word  to  be  his  first  fruits. 
O,  sanctify  us  by  thy  truth — thy  word  is  truth. 

Here  is  the  secret  spring  and  motive  power 
of  true  reformation,  civilization,  evangelization, 
and  glorification.  Behold  the  power  and  revival 
at  Pentecost,  the  general  spread  of  Christianity 
through  the  whole  Roman  empire,  the  great 
reformation  in  the  days  of  Martin  Luther,  the 
glorious  awakening  in  the  times  of  Whitefield, 
Wesley,  and  Edwards,  or  in  more  modern  times 
under  Finney,  Knapp,  Spurgeon,  Earle,  and 
others  of  revival  fame !  To  God  be  all  the 
praise ! 

The  gospel  is  our  panoply,  living,  lever,  axe, 
hope,  prose,  and  poetry.  It  is  the  harbinger 
and  the  song  of  the  millennium;  yea,  our  glory 


104  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

in  the  battle  of  life,  and  our  triumph  in  death, 
and  our  shout  in  glory  !  How,  then,  can  we  be 
ashamed  of  the  law  or  the  gospel?  What  doc- 
trines, precepts,  and  fruits  are  here  combined ! 
See  what  Christianity  has  done  for  mankind  in 
elevating  man  and  woman  !  See  what  our  moth- 
ers, sisters,  and  ourselves  would  have  been  with- 
out the  precious  gospel !  Look,  then,  to  the 
blessed  effects  wherever  it  is  preached  and  re- 
ceived. Who,  then,  can  be  ashamed  of  the  gos- 
pel? No  one  who  has  ever  enjoyed  its  power. 
Ashamed  of  the  gospel !.  Just  as  soon  let  mid- 
night be  ashamed  of  noon,  or,  sooner  far,  let 
evening  blush  to  own  a  star. 

O,  my  brethren,  let  us,  while  we  stand  by  the 
tomb  of  the  Saviour,  and  look  upon  Mount  Gal- 
vary,  and  survey  the  Mount  of  Olives,  conse- 
crate ourselves  anew  to  Christ  and  his  cause. 
Le,t  us  thank  God,  and  take  courage.  Put  on 
the  whole  panoply,  and  go  up  to  possess  the 
land.  Soon  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  shall  be- 
come the  kingdoms  of  Christ.  The  banner  of 
the  gospel  shall  soon  be  unfurled  on  land  and 
sea,  proclaiming  liberty  of  conscience  and  free- 
dom in  Christ,  and  all  the  wide,  wide  world 


MOUNT   ZION'S    GLORY.  105 

shall  be  filled  with  the  gospel  of  the  glory  of 
God.  So  let  it  be  ! 

Then  shall  the  New  Jerusalem  be  seen  de- 
scending from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  the  meek 
shall  possess  the  whole  earth.  So  there  shall  be 
a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  in  which  dwells 
righteousness. 

Here  is  hope  and  encouragement  for  us  all, 
amidst  all  the  conflicting  signs  of  the  times. 

But,  my  friends,  I  must  thank  you  for  your 
attention  and  kindness  under  God,  and  ask  your 
prayers.  I  shall  be  glad  to  meet  you  on  gospel 
ground  anywhere,  and  under  heavenly  auspices, 
wherever  good  Providence  may  permit.  Amen. 

Finally,  brethren,  farewell. 

"With  mind  and  heart  I  love  the  Lord, 
The  brethren,  prayer,  and  holy  word, 
His  Spirit  and  my  soul  attest, 
Till  mighty  grace  shall  give  me  rest." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


How 


LETTER  t     A   WALK   ABOUT   ZION. 

AST  Lord's  day  I  preached  from  Eom. 
i.  16,  on  Zion's  Hill,  to  a  few  brethren, 
and  administered  the  Lord's  Supper, 
few  are   the   witnesses    for   Jesus !      The 


number  of  real  converts  to  pure  Christianity 
here  is  yet  very  small.  Quite  a  list  of  names 
have  professed,  and  kept  up  some  forms,  but 
vital  experience  and  gospel  practice  are  but  little 
known  in  the  city. 

Jerusalem  is  really  a  very  wicked  city,  cursed 
of  God.  Yet  we  see  a  star  of  hope.  There  are 
some  good  ministers  and  Christians  even  here ; 
yea,  missions,  Sunday  schools,  and  prayer  meet- 
ings. 

Physical!}'  the  city  is  fast  improving,  and  as- 
suming a  far  better  aspect.  The  Knights  Tem- 

106 


A   WALK   ABOUT   ZION.  107 

plars  of  Austria  are  now  erecting  a  magnificent 
house  on  Mount  Acre,  for  entertainment  and  for 
clubs,  called  the  "Austrian  Hospice;  "  and  they 
are  introducing  carriages  and  other  improve- 
ments. The  Jews,  and  also  the  Greeks,  are 
buying  up  all  the  real  estate  they  can,  inside  and 
out ;  and  Mr.  Montifore,  a  rich  Jew,  has  built  a 
great  windmill,  and  many  houses  for  poor  Jews, 
outside  of  the  city  walls,  thus  competing  for  the 
mastery.  But  what  is  prosperity  in  wealth  or  in 
sin  ?  Its  pleasures  are  short. 

Thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  pilgrims 
visit  here,  and  other  sacred  places,  yearly,  and 
often  gather  in  multitudes,  and  stay  for  weeks, 
and  even  months.  To  sell  them  relics  and  trin- 
kets is  a  great  and  profitable  business.  Then, 
too,  much  meat  and  bread,  and  other  articles, 
are  required  to  meet  the  daily  wants  of  so  many. 
A  standing  army,  too,  of  hundreds,  and  some- 
times of  thousands,  is  kept  here,  to  preserve 
order  and  peace  between  the  citizens  and  the  for- 
eigners. But,  despite  all,  there  is  occasionally  a 
little  fight  for  nationalities  between  Turks,  Jews, 

and  Greeks,  or  some  others. 

• 

They  have  here  almost  all  kinds  of  religions, 


108  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

and  shades  of  doctrine,  representing  the  whole 
world.  Here  idolatry,  popery,  heresy,  error, 
ignorance,  gross  crimes,  beastly  vices,  and  cruel 
delusions  run  riot.  How  marvellous  that  God 
should  bear  for  a  single  day  with  such  a  wicked 
people !  But  what  of  us,  and  the  rest  of  the 
wide  world?  The  Lord  is  good. 


STREET    IN    JERUSALEM. 


The  city  is  now  healthy,  having  a  population 
of  some  thirty  or  forty  thousand,  and  at  times 
thousands  of  visitors.  Property  is  rising  in 
money  value,  and  the  cost  of  living  has  greatly 


A    WALK    ABOUT    ZION.  109 

increased.  Since  the  Crimean  war,  prices  have 
gone  up  wonderfully.  Besides,  the  civilized 
nations  scorn  anxious  for  a  hold  and  a  repre- 
sentation here. 

I  have  walked  through  and  around  the  city ; 
surveyed  her  streets,  many  of  which  are  of 
great  interest;  and  marked  and  counted  the 
stones  in  her  walls.  Some  were  forty  feet  long, 
three  and  a  half  thick  by  four  and  a  half  wide, 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  old  Temple.  I  have 
been  much  blessed  by  sights  and  associations. 
The  walls  generally  are  in  as  good  architectural 
style  as  ours  in  America,  and  in  good  repair, 
with  massive  gates,  well  hung. 

The  tomb  of  the  Saviour  is  on  Zion's  Hill,  and 
now  covered  by  the  great  dome  or  tabernacle,  of 
immense  size,  called  the  Church  of  the  Holy 
Sepulchre,  or  of  the  Resurrection.  Divers  na- 
tions vie  in  honoring  it  by  their  costly  forms,  but 
all  in  vain. 

I  can  just  see  the  bushy  margin  of  the  River 
Jordan,  and  the  smooth  surface  of  the  Dead  Sea, 
from  the  city  heights,  and  shall  soon  visit  them. 
I  must  soon  go  to  Bethlehem,  too,  and  to  Solo- 
mon's Pools,  and  then  write  you  more  descrip- 


110  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

tively  of  these  and  other  remarkable  places  and 
things  (D.V.). 

I  am  highly  privileged  here  by  the  kindnesses 
of  Dr.  Barcley,  Elder  Jones,  and  their  fami- 
lies. Truly  the  Lord  provides,  and  makes  all 
things  work  for  good  to  the  righteous. 

Farewell. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

LETTER  :     WONDERS    OF   JERUSALEM. 

HIS  city  is  truly  "beautiful  for  situa- 
tion," and  destined  to  be  the  "joy  of 
the  whole  earth."  She  stands  on  hills, 
upon  the  eastern  slope  of  the  great  ridge,  and 
overlooks  the  valleys,  plains,  rivers,  brooks, 
pools,  ravines,  battle-grounds,  cemeteries,  bap- 
tisteries, monuments,  the  Dead  Sea,  Mount  of 
Olives,  and  the  high  mountain  ranges  all  around. 
In  ^a  wet  time  the  valleys  are  ponds,  and  the 
brooks  powerful  rivers.  Pools  are  numerous, 
and  many  of  them  quite  large ;  some  are  of  liv- 
ing water,  but  most  of  them  are  artificial  tanks 
or  cisterns,  filled  with  rain  or  snow  water  from 
various  elevations.  There  is  water  enough  in 
Jerusalem,  —  saying  nothing  of  the  abundance 
of  it  in  the  vicinity, — at  all  seasons  of  the  year, 

111 


112  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

except  in  the  dryest  time,  for  immersing  the 
whole  world,  as  fust  as  they  might  believe  auu 
come.  There  is  no  want  where  there  is  a  godly 
will. 

Dr.  Barcley  has  recently  immersed  some  forty 
candidates  in  the  Virgin  Pools,  or  the  Pool  of 
Siloam,  which  spring  from  under  Mount  Moriah. 

Wonderful  things  are  here  known  and  en- 
joyed. I  have  not  only  walked  around  and 
through  Jerusalem,  but  I  have  actually  been 
under  it.  There  is  a  cave,  with  an  entrance  on 
the  north  side,  near  Damascus  Gate,  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  extent,  supposed  to  be  the 
old  quarry  which  furnished  the  marble  for  the 
Temple  and  its  walls.  It  is  beautiful  and  grand 
as  seen  by  torch-light.  Dr.  Barcley  fortunately 
discovered  it  a  few  years  since,  for  the  cave's 
mouth  had  for  a  long  time  been  hidden  by  rub- 
bish. 

The  tombs  of  the  kings  are  situated  just  north 
of  the  city,  and  are  carved  out  of  solid  marble 
rock.  Some  fifty  of  these  are  easily  recognized, 
and  most  of  them  are  arranged  side  by  side  ;  but 
in  some  instances  they  are  also  deposited  in 
vaults  one  story  below  the  other.  All  the  ex- 


WONDERS   OF   JERUSALEM. 


113 


cavations    are    in    solid    limestone.      What    an 
amount  of  labor  and  skill ! 

A  very  large  bath,  or  cistern  of  water,  is  close 
by,  as  you  will  generally  find  contiguous  to  every 
important  bury  ing-place.  This  is  pure  taste,  as 
immersion  is,  to  a  believer,  a  celebration  of  his 
faith  and  hope  in  Christ,  and  in  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead. 


POOL   OF   SILOAM. 


Let  ns  look  a  little  more  about  Jerusalem. 
Behold  Mount  Calvary ;  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
two  hundred  feet  higher;  Bethphage  and  Beth- 
any ;  Hill  of  Evil  Council ;  the  remarkable  "Field 
of  Blood ;  Garden  of  Gethsemane ;  Valleys  of 
8 


114  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

Hinnom  and  of  Jehoskaphat ;  graveyards  and 
monuments  ;  Pools  of  the  Virgin  and  of  Siloam  ; 
and  other  objects  of  interest,  besides  the  Tem- 
ple or  Mosque  of  Omar,  churches,  pinnacles, 
towers,  tombs,  and  sacred  views  within  the  city. 
This  consecrated  spot  really  excels  all  others  in 
history  in  importance,  in  fame,  in  influence,  sub- 
limity, and  beauty  —  the  central  point  of  the 
Christian  religion,  and  the  sunlight  of  the  whole 
world.  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  glory  in 
the  cross !  God  selected  this  place,  and  will 
crown  it  with  effulgent  glory.  It  is  physically, 
and  morally,  and  spiritually  sublime.  To  be 
sure  the  carnal  mind  cannot  so  discern  it,  in  its 
present  low  state ;  but  the  spiritual  can  see  it, 
for  they  "  see  light  in  Christ's  light." 

A  part  of  the  city  is  now  in  ruins,  and  is 
yearly  ploughed.  Many  live  in  basements,  and 
dens  of  misery.  Vice,  leprosy,  poverty,  and  de- 
struction revel  there ;  infidelity,  popery,  and 
idolatry  disgrace  and  destroy  immortal  souls ; 
but  in  Christ  is  a  glass,  a  brighter  day  —  the 
New  Jerusalem  of  God. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 
LETTER:   CALVARY  AND  HOLY  PLACES. 

HE  common  people,  in  the  city  and 
country,  seem  to  have  little  or  no 
conscience,  or  it  may  be  that  I  am 
wanting  in  perception,  but  I  am  fully  persuaded 
that  there  is  little  done,  adapted  to  the  low  con- 
dition of  Jerusalem  sinners.  There  are  a  few 
good  missionaries  in  this  field,  and  God  blesses 
them. 

O,  what  a  place  this  is  for  pilgrims  I  It  is 
now  a  great  time  for  them,  and  so  it  will  be  for 
months  to  come.  Soon  as  the  weather  gets 
warm  enough,  and  the  prescribed  time  comes, 
they  will  go  by  thousands  to  the  River  Jordan 
to  be  immersed  at  the  Pilgrim's  Ford.  They 
furnish  their  own  "safe  conduct,"  while  we,  who 
go  in  small  numbers,  are  obliged  to  pay  four  or 

115 


116  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

five  dollars  each  to  be  guided  and  guarded  safely 
through  the  Bedouin  tribes,  or  wandering  Ish- 
raaelites.  We  pay  and  go  safely. 

The  weather  is  now  fine,  balmy,  and  reviving 
to  us  all,  and  to  grass,  flowers,  and  fruits.  The 
people  generally  seem  healthy.  The  water  is  all 
impregnated  with  limestone.  We  find  nice  pet- 
rifactions of  all  kinds,  in  great  abundance. 
Olives,  grapes,  figs,  dates,  oranges,  lemons,  and 
many  other  fruits  abound.  Garden  vegetables 
are  plenty,  except  potatoes.  Thorn-grass  is  used 
for  fuel  to  burn  lime  and  brick.  The  stones 
worn  so  in  our  paths  or  in  the  streets  are  ex- 
ceedingly and  often  dangerously  slippery.  Ta- 
ble living  is  generally  poor,  though  I  fare  well. 
No  potatoes  are  to  be  had,  unless  they  come 
from  Austria.  The  people  are  glad  to  get  the 
milk  of  cows,  goats,  sheep,  and  even  asses. 
We  have  no  apples  and  no  good  cheese,  except 
from  Germany.  Wood  and  charcoal  are  scarce, 
and,  like  fruit  and  food,  are  sold  by  weight. 
Women  carry  all  such  to  market  on  their  heads, 
going  in  long  trains,  with  nimble  steps,  for  many 
miles. 

The  cisterns  and  pools  are  nearly  all  dry,  and 


CALVARY  AND  HOLY  PLACES.       117 

the  people  are  fearing  a  drought  and  famine. 
Little  rain  or  snow  has  come  to  fill  the  tanks, 
or  fit  the  fields  for  crops.  Signs  are  now  poor. 

The  Turks  venerate  the  magnificent  mosque  of 
Omar,  with  its  great  dome,  high  and  splendid 
proportions,  and  rich  embellishments,  while  the 
Jews  on  the  western  side  wail,  and  even  kiss 
the  stone  walls  of  the  old  Temple  of  Solomon. 

Yesterday  I  visited  again  the  Church  of  the 
Resurrection,  or  Holy  Sepulchre.  It  is  a  grand, 
imposing,  costly,  spacious,  complicated  super- 
structure on  Zion's  Hill,  or  Mount  Calvary,  em- 
bracing and  surmounting  the  reputed  tomb  and 
sepulchre  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  was  awe-struck  at 
beholding  the  mighty,  multiplied  exhibitions ! 
After  composing  myself,  I  walked,  or  rather 
crept,  through  the  low  door  into  the  room  or 
vault,  hewn  from  solid  stone,  containing  the  sar- 
cophagus or  tomb  of  the  Saviour,  all  covered  by 
the  great  dome  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  You  see 
on  your  right,  as  you  enter  the  sacred  room,  a 
beautiful  white  marble  rock,  deeply  excavated,  in 
which  they  say  positively  our  Lord  was  buried. 
Let  it  be  so  ;  I  know  of  no  evidence  to  the  con- 
trary, or  of  any  rivals. 


118  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

The  guards  generally  require  visitors  to  go  in 
barefoot  on  their  sacred  stone  floor ;  but  I  did 
not  stop  for  that  part  of  the  ceremony,  and 
passed  in.  When  I  came  out  I  was  filled  with 
wonder  and  contemplation.  O,  what  memorials, 
relics  of  the  past, .formal  pretensions,  and  signs 
of  the  future !  But  God  will  make  even  the 
wrath  of  man  to  praise  him,  and  all  things  to 
work  well  for  the  righteous,  and  he  will  restrain 
the  remainder.  My  present  lodging  at  the  Cath- 
olic Hospice  is  but  a  few  rods  south  of,  the  Hol}r 
Sepulchre,  on  Zion's  Hill. 


CHAPTEE  XX. 


LETTER  :     BETHLEHEM. 

EBRUARY  20.  Here  is  the  glorious 
spot  where  our  Saviour  was  born  — 
there  is  no  doubt  of  it.  I  had  long 
desired  to  see  it  with  my  own  eyes,  and  the  gra- 
cious Lord  has  granted  me  the  privilege. 

This  beautiful  morning  I  started  from  Jerusa- 
lem on  the  foot  path,  —  as  we  have  no  carriage 
roads,  —  and  soon  fell  into  company  with  an  Ara- 
bian woman,  who  talked,  pointed  out  places,  and 
pleasantly  conducted  me  by  the  Potter's  Field, 
the  Greek  Convent  of  Elias,  the  Tomb  of  Ra- 
chel, David's  Well,  and  so  on,  seven  miles,  to 
the  famous  city  of  Bethlehem.  This  woman 
begged  for  "  backsheesh,"  or  a  present ;  but 
as,  in  return,  I  asked  her  for  one,  she  soon 

119 


120 


TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 


turned  away,  with  a  farewell  smile.     We   had 
talked  all  the  way  in  Arabic. 

This  city  covers  a  pair  of  united  hills,  in  beau- 
tiful range  and  proportions,  quite  elevated,  and 
conspicuous  for  miles,  surrounded  with  splendid 
terraces  on  the  steep  sides,  well  nigh  to  their 


BETHLEHEM. 


oval  summits,  and  farther  off  by  the  shepherds' 
plains  and  valleys.  The  towering  terraces  rise 
in  order,  like  steps,  with  white  marble  edges ; 
and  each  plateau  is  coverecj.  with  gardens,  or- 
•chards,  or  houses.  Twin  hills,  to  beauty  born  I 


BETHLEHEM.  121 

Behold  the  shepherds  now,  the  sheep,  the  goats, 
the  cattle,  and  the  fowls  !  See  the  olives,  figs, 
and  grapes,  in  great  abundance,  adorning  this 
natural  and  historic  gem  !  Praise  the  Lord  ! 

The  Catholic  convent  here  is  of  vast  propor- 
tions, and  covers  the  reputed  spot  of  Christ's 
nativity.  Here  the  monks  cite  you  to  the  bright 
spot,  in  an  upper  room  on  the  hill-side,  on  the 
stone  floor,  covered  with  a  large  silver  star  three 
feet  in  diameter,  amid  burning  candles,  costly 
devices,  and  historic  exhibitions.  Truly  here 
is  light  that  displays  art,  and  makes  darkness 
visible  !  Despite  the  superstition  hung  around 
the  Saviour's  birthplace,  truth  looms  up  to  our 
view,  and  our  souls  are  refreshed  by  the  heav- 
enly associations.  A  beautiful  marble  statuette 
of  the  Babe  of  Bethlehem  reposes  on  a  white 
marble  couch,  in  the  same  room,  close  by  the 
star.  Let  us  look,  ponder,  and  improve.  Now 
we  will  walk  out  of  the  "inn,"  and  survey  the 
outer  court  or  yard.  Here  we  find  the  place 
where  horses,  mules,  donkeys,  and  their  keepers 
eat  and  lodge,  on  the  straw  and  ground.  The 
manger  is  a  place  on  which  to  eat.  Christ  was 
born,  and  cradled,  and  attended  here,  by  wise 


122  TRAVELS   IN  BIBLE   LANDS. 

men  and  angels,  in  the  uncovered  yard,  where 
both  the  poor  and  the  brutes  recline  and  eat. 
Such  places  and  customs  here  are  now  common. 
The  grain  and  straw  are  put  on  the  ground,  while 
the  animal  is  tied  by  his  leg  to  a  short  hub,  or 
left  at  liberty.  The  attendants  often  sleep  in 
the  same  enclosure,  on  or  in  the  strawy  manger, 
with  their  faces  turned  to  the  wall.  No  wonder 
if  now  they  have  really  housed  Christ's  birth- 
spot  !  I  feel  well  repaid  for  my  visit,  and  al- 
ways feel  solemn,  reverential,  and  revived  at 
each  reviewal  of  the  scene.  O  that  men  were 
all  sanctified  by  the  truth,  and  would  glory  only 
in  the  cross  ! 

Bethlehem  and  vicinity  are  picturesque,  fertile, 
and  full  of  interest.  The  weather  now  is  like 
our  May.  The  washerwomen  on  the  south  side 
of  the  city  take  water  from  the  pottery  canal, 
coming  from  Solomon's  Pools,  and  are  lively  at 
their  work  in  the  open  air,  and  look  healthy. 

By  the  polite  invitation  of  the  attending 
monks,  I  sat  at  a  sumptuous  table,  and  enjoyed 
a  good  dinner,  before  leaving,  in  a  room  adjoin- 
ing where  Christ  is  said  to  have  been  born.  O, 
hallowed  associations  !  No  wonder  that  tens  of 


BETHLEHEM. 


123 


thousands  visit  this  memorable  spot  every  year, 
and  at  whatever  expense  and  hazard !  But  I 
must  soon  leave,  and  say  farewell. 

I  expect  to  remain  in  Palestine  two  weeks 
longer,  and  then  go  to  Geneva,  and  down  the 
Rhine. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


LETTER  :    CONDITION   AND   PROSPECTS    OF   THE 
HOLY   CITY. 

GREEABLY  to  promise,  I  write  you 
again  from  the  Holy  City.  Here  I  am 
enjoying  the  hospitality  of  Elder 
William  M.  Jones,  on  Mount  Acre,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  city,  on  a  beautiful  hill.  Brother 
Jones  is  a  worthy  missionary,  from  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptists,  and  an  old  friend  of  ours  from 
Pennsylvania.  He  is  very  industrious  in  preach- 
ing, teaching-,  and  working;  but  his  excellent 
wife  and  accomplished  daughter  add  much  to 
his  comfort  and  efficiency.  How  refreshing  to 
share  with  such  friends  in  a  foreign  and  weary 
laud  !  Truly  they  sacrifice  much  among  a  peo- 

124 


CONDITION    AND   PROSPECTS    OF   JERUSALEM.     125 

pie  so  hard,  ignorant,  and  foreign ;  but  God's 
grace  is  amply  sufficient  for  them. 

Brother  Jones  has  recently  immersed  a  con- 
verted Greek  (and  there  is  water  enough,  al- 
ways), who  has  since  been  severely  persecuted 
and  violently  beaten  for  his  new  religion ;  but 
he  stands  up  boldly  for  Jesus  yet. 

Everything  seems  new  and  refreshing  here, 
however  old,  no  matter  how  often  we  pass  in 
review. 

The  city  is  about  half  a  mile  square,  or  irregu- 
lar, with  strong,  high  walls,  from  fifty  to  seventy- 
five  feet  from  the  foundations,  and  has  four  gates 
now  in  use — Jaffa,  Golden,  Herod's,  and  St. 
Stephen's.  I  have  walked  around  the  city,  un- 
der it,  over  it,  and  on  its  walls.  By  the  way, 
you  cannot  climb  up  from  the  outside,  but 
must  walk  up  by  steps  on  the  inside,  if  you 
would  mount  the  walls  of  Zion,  see  her  un- 
told glories,  and  be  protected  by  her  strong, 
high  bulwarks,  in  your  daily  walks.  Just  so 
in  the  kingdom  of  Christ:  we  may  go  in,  and 
up,  and  around,  and  rejoice  within,  and  on  her 
battlements. 

The  Austrian  knights  are  yet  hard  at  work  on 


126  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

their  magnificent  hospice,  for  the  accommoda- 
tions of  rich  clubs  and  hundreds  of  guests. 
They  have  introduced,  through  St.  Stephen's 
Gate,  the  only  two-horse  carts  that  have  yet  en- 
tered the  city.  No  carriages  are  used  in  the 
regions  around. 

The  Russians  and  the  French  here  hold  some 
real  estate,  and  have  some  grand  designs  on  foot, 
and  other  nations  look  to  Jerusalem  as  a  focal, 
radiating  point  —  a  central  rendezvous  for  the 
whole  wide  world. 

The  Turks  seem  already  crestfallen  at  the 
sight  of  their  prospects.  The  so-called  Chris- 
tians —  Arminians  or  Greeks  —  are  fast  getting 
the  ascendency.  Rents,  labor,  and  living  have 
risen  fourfold  in  price  within  a  few  years. 
The  streets  are  rough,  dark,  narrow,  filthy,  and 
slippery.  How  stupid  and  indolent,  too,  are 
most  of  the  citizens !  They  sit  cross-legged, 
smoke  tobacco,  eat  the  coarsest  of  food,  and 
sleep  almost  anywhere  in  their  clothes. 

Men  and  women  of  the  Turks,  Greeks,  and 
Jews  are  here  much  alike  in  their  personal  hab- 
its, and  about  equal  in  numbers. 

As  to  crime  against  person  or  property,  good 


CONDITION   AND   PROSPECTS   OF   JERUSALEM.      127 

judges  say  they  are  more  safe  here  than  in  New 
York. 

Rev.  W.  Smith,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  showed 
his  good  sense  and  Christian  courage  here  in 
travelling  alone,  or  with  only  a  muleteer  as  a 
guide.  Falsehood,  guilt,  and  cowardice,  verily, 
may  cry  and  blush,  but  I  have  yet  to  see  cause 
for  fear  or  extra  caution  while  travelling  in 
Syria,  or  in  Palestine  or  elsewhere,  for  the  last 
four  mouths. 

The  whole  region  is  now  quiet  and  slothful, 
rather  than  warlike.  The  Dickson  family  mur- 
der and  rapine,  near  Joppa,  was  a  most  horrible 
affair.  The  father  and  a  married  son  were  killed 
outright ;  the  mother  and  daughter  suffered  se- 
verely. But  such  instances  are  few.  Four  of  the 
guilty  culprits  are  now  in  prison,  awaiting  death, 
and  the  fifth  —  the  principal  in  the  bloody,  ter- 
rible crime  —  is  searched  for  by  detectives,  and 
all  must  soon  suffer  condign  punishment.  The 
stolen  property  has  mostly  been  restored  to.  the 
poor,  insulted,  enfeebled,  bereaved,  widowed 
mother  and  daughter,  all  through  the  efficiency 
of  our  consul,  Johnson,  of  Beyroot,  as  he  tells  me. 
The  whole  Eastern  region  seems  to  fear,  respect, 


128 


TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 


trust,  and  court  Americans.  May  we  do  the 
world  good,  and  ever  prove  ourselves  worthy 
of  confidence  !  The  Lord  give  us  wisdom !  I 
shall  sooii  be  on  the  road  to  Jordan. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

LETTER  :     MOUNT   MORIAH   AND   VICINITY. 

HIS  sacred  mount  is,  without  doubt,  the 
identical  spot  where  stood  the  holy 
Temple  of  Solomon,  but  where  now 
stands  the  great  Mosque  of  Omar.  Mohammedan 
worshippers  now  occupy  all  the  space  within  the 
massive  high  walls.  I  climbed  up  into  Pilate's 
Judgment  Hall,  and  looked  from  the  observatory 
into  the  beautiful,  sacred,  renowned  enclosure, 
and  closely  viewed  the  exterior  splendors  of  the 
mosque  and  the  ornamented  grounds.  I  was  de- 
lighted. 

Once  I  went  very  close  to  the  open  gate,  and 
looked  in,  but  was  soon  ordered  away.  By  their 
rule,  if  I  had  gone  within  and  spied  out  their 
works,  I  should  have  suffered  the  penalty  of 
death,  or  become  a  Mussulman.  Once  they 
9  129 


130  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

stoned  me  for  looking  at  them,  while  standing  as 
far  off  as  the  old  Pool  of  Bethesda.  But  soon 
they  will  be  more  liberal,  by  treaty.  Near  the 
western  wall  are  the  Jewish  quarters  and  their 
wailiug-place.  "The  veil  is  yet  upon  their 
heart."  What  can  be  done  for  Jerusalem?  But 
I  must  take  another  stroll,  and  rest  a  little. 

As  I  have  often  referred  to  Elder  Jones,  it  may 
be  quite  edifying  to  read  a  few  extracts  from  his 
letter  to  the  American  Baptist :  — 

"  PALESTINE,  February  17. 

"DEAR  BROTHER  BROWN:  Your  very  kind, 
sympathizing  letter  of  October  last  came  to 
hand  per  Elder  Emerson  Andrews,  whom  I 
found  in  the  Casa  Nuova  —  Catholic  Hospice  — 
on  the  evening  of  the  day  following  his  arrival. 
But  how  changed  he  is  since  I  saw  him  fifteen 
years  ago,  at  the  Triennial  Convention  in  Phil- 
adelphia. Brother  Andrews  preached  for  me 
last  First-day  afternoon,  to  a  congregation  of 
twenty-one  persons,  which  is  a  good  number  for 
an  English  assembly  in  the  Holy  City,  consid- 
ering the  many  who  are  tied  fast  by  sect  and 
caste.  Brother  Andrews  -was  very  happy,  and 


MOUNT   MORIAH   AND   VICINITY.  131 

deeply  interested  us  all  by  his  own  peculiar 
style  in  discoursing  upon  Bomans  i.  16:  "I  ani 
not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ."  I  need 
not  say  that  I  am  rejoiced  to  see  him,  to  talk 
over  old  times,  and  call  up  the  reminiscences  of 
by-gone  years.  Perhaps  twenty  thousand  con- 
verts will  testify  to.  his  labors  in  the  day  of 
accounts. 

"The  work  here  is  hard  and  slow.  I  have  to 
strike  hard,  night  and  day,  to  sow  seed  broad- 
cast, with  patience  and  hope.  Sometimes  things 
look  favorable,  then  cold,  stiff,  and  forbidding. 
To  answer  the  demands  of  this  modern  Babel  is 
a  labor  not  to  be  coveted ;  but  by  God's  bless- 
ing a  minister  may  hope  for  and  enjoy  much  in 
preaching  the  gospel  in  Arabic,  German,  French, 
and  many  other  tongues.  The  majority  of  Prot- 
estants here  are  Episcopalians.  I  think  the  ten- 
dencies are  to  a  happier  state  in  the  Evangelical 
portion  of  the  community.  There  is  room  enough 
for  all. 

"  The  Greek  and  Roman  church  power  is  great 
upon  the  people,  they  being  held  fast  by  money 
in  the  shape  of  backsheesh. 

"  Yesterday   Elders   Barcley,    Andrews,    Per- 


132  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

rine,  and  myself  took  a  rough  ride  over  the 
hills  on  this  high  Mountain  range,  northward, 
to  Michmash,  for  some  three  hours.  The  scen- 
ery is  made  up  of  rocks,  hedges,  valleys,  scat- 
tered villages,  and  deserts  of  Judea,  and  along 
the  Jordan,  the  mountains  of  Moab,  Rock  Rim- 
mon,  and  much  else  of  great  interest  to  the 
Bible  student.  Pray  for  me,  and  for  the  peace 
of  Jerusalem. 

"  Yours,  in  the  gospel, 

"WILLIAM  M.  JONES." 

The  above  is  from  our  mutual  friend  and  dear 
brother  in  Christ,  whose  knowledge,  skill,  and 
kindness  have  merited  my  gratitude. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


LETTER :     VISIT    TO    THE    JORDAN    AND    THE 
DEAD    SEA. 


EBRUAEY  27.  I  have  had  a  glorious 
season,  for  three  days  past,  in  visiting 
the  river  Jordan,  and  the  old  spot  of 
Jericho,  and  the  Dead  Sea.  On  the  morning 
of  our  starting,  as  our  company  was  gathering 
on  the  flat  roof  of  the  Mediterranean  Hotel,  the 
snow  came  down  like  wool,  and  the  weather 
signs  looked  rather  squally ;  but  being  ready, 
and  with  courage  fired  up,  we  left  in  full  tilt  on 
our  road  to  Jordan.  Physically  it  is  a  "hard 
road  to  travel." 

A  select  company  of  twenty  —  ministers,  law- 
yers, merchants,  professors,  with  a  consul  and  a 
governor,  all  mounted  on  Arabian  horses,  headed 
by  a  commissioned  Bedouin  chief  on  his  high- 

133 


134  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE   LANDS. 

mettled  steed  —  dashed  onward  over  rocks,  hills, 
and  pitfalls,  through  deep  gullies  and  wide  plains, 
till  we  saw  the  "sights." 

Reverends  Orton  and  Perrine,  Chaplain  Bet- 
tinger,  Professor  Brewer,  Governor  Seymour  of 
Connecticut,  Consul  Johnson,  and  many  other 
choice  spirits,  gave  delight  to  our  journey. 

Passing  out  of  St.  Stephen's  Gate,  on  the  east 
side  of  Jerusalem,  near  the  old  Pool  of  Bethesda, 
we  descended  the  hill,  crossed  over  the  Brook 
Cedron  and  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  on  to 
Bethphage  and  Bethany,  to  the  old  commemo- 
rated grave  or  tomb  of  Lazarus.  Truly  the 
name  of  the  righteous  is  fragrant,  and  shall  be 
"held  iu  everlasting  remembrance."  Here  -we 
alighted,  and,  with  deep  emotions  and  solemn 
reflections,  gazed  upon  the  keepers,  upon  the 
dilapidated  walls,  upon  the  ruins  and  scenery 
around,  and  then  looked  into  the  deserted  tomb. 
Here  Jesus  wept  with  Mary  and  Martha  (see 
John  xi.  1-46)  ;  and  how  could  we  help  weep- 
ing, under  the  eventful  circumstances  and  thrill- 
ing associations?  We  looked  intensely,  and 
scarce  a  word  did  speak,  but,  hesitatingly  turn- 
ing away  with  a  last,  lingering  look,  we  finally 


VISIT  TO  THE  JORDAN  AND  THE  DEAD  SEA.    135 

remounted  our  saddles,  with  Bible  imagery  on 
our  minds,  and,  in  funereal  pace,  gradually  left 
the  grave  behind. 

Soon  noon  came,  and  we  halted  for  dinner. 
Our  dragoman,  with  ample  stores,  spread  the 
simple  table  on  the  ground,  while  we  were  seated 
all  around.  There  we  joyfully  ate  a  sumptuous 
feast,  in  primitive  style,  drinking,  as  temperance 
men,  the  pure  water,  just  drawn  from  a  rocky 
pool  near  by. 

All  rested  and  refreshed,  we  again  sallied  forth 
over  slippery  rocks,  deeply-worn  stone  paths, 
over  steep  ridges,  near  precipices  and  "bottom- 
less pits,"  till  we  sighted  the  Valley  of  Jericho,  and 
the  Jordan.  Splendid  scene  !  We  here  beheld 
the  three  Lazarine  or  "  Quarantauia  "  Mountains, 
one  much  higher  than  the  others,  on  which  Jesus 
Christ  fosted,  and  was  tempted  by  the  devil. 
(Luke  iv.  1-13.)  Our  feelings  can  better  be 
imagined  than  described.  Near  the  foot  of  the 
mountain,  we  visited  Joshua's  Pools,  drank  of 
the  water,  viewed  his  old  garden  and  farm,  cut 
reeds  for  pens,  enriched  our  portfolios,  and  left, 
via  Jericho,  for  Jordan.  But,  bad  as  were  the 
appearances,  we  fell  not  "  among  thieves." 


136  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

On  our  delightful  ride  over  a  fine  sandy, 
loamy,  fertile,  wide  plain  and  valley,  we  rode 
nine  miles  on  a  quick  gallop,  jumping  hillocks, 
ditches,  hedges,  and  holes,  over  good  old  Abra- 
ham's farm,  till  we  made  the  celebrated  "Pil- 
grim's Fqrd,"  so  noted  for  the  passage  of  the 
children  of  Israel  under  Caleb  and  Joshua,  and 
for  the  baptism  of  Christ  by  John  the  Baptist, 
and  for  the  annual  visits  of  the  pilgrims  and 
others  for  the  last  eighteen  hundred  years. 

We  found  Jordan's  banks  steep,  rough,  bushy, 
and  gravelly,  and  the  bed  of  the  river  some  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide,  and  the  water  from 
three  to  eight  feet  deep  in  a  dry  time.  The  wa- 
ter is  quite  swift  in  places,  so  that  it  is  unsafe 
to  walk  in  the  shallows,  on  the  rolling,  smooth 
pebbles.  It  is  very  turbid  with  loam  and  the 
abrasions  from  trees,  but  becomes  clear  and  fit  to 
drink  after  standing  to  settle  a  while,  and  is 
good  to  bathe  in,  as  twenty  of  us  can  testify  by 
our  own  happy  experience  in  swimming  there. 

Regaled  in  body  and  spirits,  after  getting 
specimens  of  stones  and  sticks,  we  galloped  our 
course  back  to  Jericho.  By  the  way,  we  became 
benighted  and  puzzled,  and  wandered  wide,  but 


VISIT  TO  THE  JORDAN  AND  THE  DEAD  SEA.    137 

regained  our  path  by  sighting  the  stars,  and  those 
"mountains  of  temptation,"  till  we  clambered 
over  a  little  brook,  and  encamped  on  the  ruins 
of  Jericho,  that  famous  city,  near  the  old  tower, 
and  beside  the  flowing  brook.  We  ate  a  good 
supper  at  ten  o'clock,  and  retired  to  our  beds  to 
sleep,  under  the  music  of  jackals  and  other  wild 
beasts.  Sweet  was  our  rest.  How  Achan  must 
have  felt  here  when  stoned  to  death !  What  a 
change ! 

The  morning  dawned  beautifully.  We  sur- 
veyed with  delight  the  historic  city,  and  the 
vicinity.  We  saw  and  tasted  the  "  golden  apples 
of  Sodom,"  but  O,  how  bitter  !  We  threw  them 
away.  Our  breakfast  all  over,  and  horses  ca- 
parisoned, we  were  soon  off  on  a  canter  over  the 
variegated  and  rich  meadows  for  a  bath  in  the 

O 

Dead  Sea.  This  sea  is  still,  and  smooth  as 
glass,  being  so  salt  and  heavy.  The  water  tastes 
horribly,  and  will  make  the  eyes  or  any  sore  spot 
smart  severely.  I  was  the  first  to  plunge  in, 
head  first,  and  thereby  disturb  the  placid  waters  ; 
but  soon,  by  the  density  of  the  salt,  bituminous, 
and  alkaline  waters,  I  was  thrown  on  the  surface, 
as  if  resting  on  a  bed.  Others  imitated  my 


138  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

example.  I  here  lay  floating,  with  hands  and 
feet  at  liberty,  for  fifteen  minutes,  and,  the 
while,  singing  the  sweet  hymn,  "Star  in  the 
East."  An  Englishman  once  said  that  "  he 
punched  his  body  to  get  himself  under  water, 
but  could  not,  and  that  iu  the  sunlight  he  spar- 
kled all  over,  as  an  animated  stick  of  'rock 
candy,'  and  felt  as  if  covered  with  pepper  and 
razor  points."  But  this  is  all  exaggeration.  You 
may  smart,  if  your  skin  is  not  good,  or  only  be 
covered  with  rough  particles  of  salt,  for  the 
water  is  stronger  than  brine.  I  bottled  a  pint  of 
it  for  you  and  my  friends. 

This  ancient  Sodom,  destroyed  by  fire  and 
brimstone  in  the  days  of  "righteous  Lot,"  re- 
ceives the  shadows  of  the  mountains  on  the  west, 
and  looks,  at  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  like 
"  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death."  O,  how 
dismal  are  the  shades !  Its  vicinity  looks  like 
shame,  theft,  and  murder  provoked.  God's 
judgments  yet  instruct  us. 

Well  satisfied  with  this  part  of  our  stroll,  we 
mounted  our  horses,  and  sped  over  the  rough, 
high,  slippery,  rocky,  mountainous,  steep,  irreg- 
ular, crooked  pathway,  through  dangerous  tribes 


VISIT  TO  THE  JORDAN  AND  THE  DEAD  SEA.  139 

of  Ishmaclites,  till  we  came  to  Mar  Sabas,  ou 
the  hi«-h  acclivities  of  the  brook  Cedron,  nine 

O 

miles  south-east  of  Jerusalem.  Here  we  stopped 
for  the  night  in  the  Greek  monastery.  Saint 
Sabas  is  built  many  stories  high,  like  so  many 
steps,  up  the  ascending  cliffs,  till  the  upper 
story  crowns  the  top.  This  was  a  stronghold 
for  the  monks  in  the  wilderness  of  Engedi,  till 
the  Persian  king,  they  say,  "made  war  upon 
them,  and  slew  fourteen  thousand  of  their  num- 
ber," the  skulls  of  whom  we  saw  piled  up  in  a 
room  within.  It  was  a  ghastly  sight ;  but  O,  the 
memory  of  bloody  scenes  !  Man}'  Greek  monks 
are  here  yet,  but  are  very  cautious. 

We  were  introduced  in  due  form,  as  our  letters, 
signed  by  our  consul  at  Jerusalem,  were  received 
and  answered  by  a  person  in  the  third  story, 
letting  down  a  basket  by  a  rope,  as  in  the  days 
of  Paul,  from  the  wall.  Then  the  main  door 
was  soon  open,  and  we  all  partook  of  their 
bountiful  hospitality.  There,  too,  you  may  be- 
hold the  life-size  statues  of  Christ  and  -his  apos- 
tles, in  bold  relief,  as  if  massive  and  of  pure 
gold.  It  was  one  of  the  grandest  of  exhibitions, 


140  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

and  most  powerful  in  effect  upon  us  all.  We 
shall  never  forget  this  sublime  monastery. 

After  sight-seeing,  rest,  and  breakfast,  we 
steered  for  the  Holy  City,  via  Bethlehem,  pass- 
ing by  many  of  the  encamped  Bedouins  —  Ish- 
maelites,  dwelling  in  the  "  black  tents  of  Kedar," 
tents  covered  with  cloth  made  of  dark  goafs- 
hair  ;  but  we  feared  them  not.  As  we  had  al- 
ready visited  the  birthplace  of  Christ,  we  staid 
there  but  a  short  time,  though  we  lingered  a 
while  in  the  shepherds'  valley. 

On  our  path,  half  way  between  the  cities, 
three  miles  from  Bethlehem,  we  visited  the  tomb 
of  good  old  Rachel.  It  is  a  high,  white  dome, 


KACHEL'S    TOMB. 


surmounting  an  oblong  monument  of  stuccoed 
masonry,  walled  around.  To  this  grave  of  a 
mother  in  Israel  persons  of  all  creeds  delight  to 


VISIT  TO  THE  JORDAN  AND  THE  DEAD  SEA.    141 

resort,  and  pay  homage  to  her  memory.  Infi- 
dels, Mohammedans,  Greeks,  Jews,  and  Chris- 
tians vie  with  each  other  in  sacred  regards  to 
her  worth.  Turks  and  Arabs  seek  to  have  their 
ashes  and  the  bodies  of  their  children  repose  so 
near  to  Rachel's  monument  that  the  shadow  of  it 
may  sweep  over  their  graves.  How  honored  is 
her  memory,  while  Absalom's  Pillar  is  pelted 
with  stones,  on  every  side  lying  in  hateful  heaps 
around !  Well  might  such  a  virtuous,  godly 
wife  cost  old  Jacob  fourteen  years  of  hard  labor, 
and  be  inexpressibly  cheap  at  that  price ! 

Passing  on  another  hour's  ride,  we  arrived 
safely  and  thankfully  at  our  quarters  on  Mount 
Zion. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

LETTER  :  SCENES  OF  THE  JORDAN. 

ARCH  2.  The  holy  Jordan  rises  a  few 
miles  north  of  Cesarea  Philippi,  start- 
ing out  from  among  the  high  rocks  on 
the  western  slope  of  Mount  Herinoii.  At  its 
source  a  small  pool  is  formed  near  the  foot  of 
Anti-Lebanon  Mountain,  whence  the  Jordan 
meanders  through  the  valleys,  receiving  divers 
tributary  streams,  till  it  extends  into  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  close  by  Bethsaida.  This  place,  on  the 
eastern  bank,  is  still  regarded  with  interest,  and 
often  described  to  pilgrim  strangers.  The  beau- 
tiful valley,  all  through,  is  variegated  with  the 
most  beautiful  and  luxuriant  fields,  fruits,  and 
flowers. 

On  each  side  of  the  river,  the  bottoms  and  the 
hill-sides  are  very  productive.       How  fragrant 

142 


SCENES  OF  THE  JORDAN.         143 

the  richly-varied  flowers  in  full  bloom,  and  how 
generous  the  corn,  the  olive,  and  the  vine  !  The 
size  of  the  stream  and  its  rapidity  vary  much,  ac- 
cording to  the  season,  drought,  or  flood.  Feb- 
ruary and  March  bring  floods  from  rain  and 
melted  snow,  rising  some  ten  or  twenty  feet 
high,  overflowing  the  lower  and  higher  banks, 
and  spreading  out  from  fifty  to  two  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  on  each  side ;  yea,  sometimes  for  many 
miles,  during  the  swellings  of  Jordan.  It  is  often 
slow,  sluggish,  moderate,  precipitous,  high,  deep, 
or  rolling  in  mountain  torrents,  according  to  the 
season,  and  country  it  flows  through,  on  its 
changeable  passage  for  many  miles,  till  it  opens 
into  the  Dead  Sea,  five  miles  below  the  Pilgrims' 
Ford. 

To  us  Christians  the  scenes  of  the  Jordan  are 
full  of  instruction  and  interesting  associations. 
Lot  left  Abraham,  and  chose  all  the  plains  of 
Jordan.  Its  waters  parted  when  the  Ark  of  the 
Covenant  was  carried  to  the  stream,  and  the 
children  of  Israel,  with  Joshua,  their  leader, 
passed  over  right  against  Jericho,  seven  miles 
west  of  Jordan.  It  is  also  celebrated  as  the 
sacred  river  in  which  leprous  Naamau,  captain 


144  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

of  Syria,  was  dipped  seven  times,  and  healed. 
Here,  too,  multitudes,  from  all  the  surrounding 
regions,  and  Jesus  Christ  himself,  were  im- 
mersed by  John  the  Baptist.  To  commemorate 
Christ's  baptism,  at  Easter,  thousands  of  Pil- 
grims from  Russia,  Greece,  and  other  nations, 
come  to  Jerusalem ;  yea,  and  from  every  king- 
dom and  clime  in  Christendom,  they  repair  to 
this  consecrated  spot,  to  witness  the  scenes,  or 
to  immerse  themselves  in  the  name  of  the  Triune 
,God  at  these  anniversaries,  in  order  to  cleanse 
themselves  from  all  unrighteousness. 

This  meeting,  or  performance,  is  at  the  Pil- 
grims' Ford,  about  five  miles  above  the  Dead 
Sea.  The  anniversary  of  our  Saviour's  baptism 
takes  place  on  the  18th  of  April.  At  that  time 
you  may  see  multitudes  of  Poles,  Russians, 
Copts,  Armenians,  Greeks,  Syrians,  and  others 
from  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe,  old  and 
young,  of  every  style,  caste,  and  language,  going 
on  donkeys,  camels,  -horses,  mules,  or  on  foot, 
as  best  they  can,  till  the  devotees,  in  great 
haste,  careless  of  all  obstacles,  disrobe  them- 
selves, and  eagerly  plunge  into  the-  baptismal 
stream.  Some  of  the  upper  classes  are  more 


CHEIST'S  BAPTISM. 


SCENES  OF  THE  JORDAN.         145 

modest,  and  dress  themselves  with  elegant  long 
robes  for  their  immersion,  and  preserve  the  used 
robe  as  a  robe  of  righteousness,  and  a  winding- 
sheet  for  their  burial.  This  is  regarded  as  pa- 
tent evidence  of  the  pilgrim's  merits,  and  a  title 
to  the  hoped-for  state.  The  candidates  are  very 
enthusiastic,  and  all  absorbed  in  their  own  per- 
formance, to  the  utter  disregard  of  all  observers. 
Thus  rushing  down  the  banks,  and  hastening  into 
the  river,  each  one  of  the  vast  multitudes  im- 
merses himself  or  herself,  or  is  dipped  by  the 
help  of  another,  three  times  in  succession,  below 
the  surface  of  the  water,  in  honor  of  the  Father, 
and  the  Sou,  and  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  bathing  dresses  of  the  pilgrims  are  long 
and  of  divers  colors,  and  textures,  and  qualities  ; 
but  most  of  them  are  white,  with  a  black  cross 
inwrought  upon  the  breast.  A  scene  similar  to 
the  above  I  once  witnessed  in  Greece  in  the 
Bay  of  Athens  and  Piraus,  on  the  18th  of  Jan- 
uary last.  At  the  ceremony  of  Baptizing  the  Cross 
(mentioned  in  a  previous  letter) ,  many  Greeks, 
nearly  naked,  and  others  well  robed,  plunged  wild- 
ly into  the  clear  cold  water,  immediately  after  the 
immersion  of  the  cross  by  the  priest,  dipping 
10 


146  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

themselves  three  times,  hastily,  as  they  do  at  the 
Jordan. 

Soon  as  they  arose,  they  shouted  vociferously ; 
but  after  remaining  awhile,  unmindful  of  the 
severe  cold  weather,  they  went  on  their  way, 
making  merry  till  they  arrived  at  the  chapel,  or 
at  their  homes. 

But  these  pilgrims  to  the  Holy  City  and  the 
Jordan,  after  their  baptism,  re-attire  themselves, 
bottle  some  of  the  water,  and  cut  branches  of 
the  willows,  consecrating  these  also,  by  dipping 
them  in  Jordan.  These  they  bear  away  to  their 
distant  homes,  as  sacred  reminiscences  of  their 
sacrificial  pilgrimage.  In  a  few  hours,  apparent- 
ly satisfied,  the  crowd  disappears  as  if  by  magic. 
The  willows  and  other  small  trees,  with  the 
diversified  ridges  and  plains,  eclipse  our  further 
observation  in  the  distance. 

Jordan  is  very  rapid  at  this  ford  below  the 
eddy,  crooked,  muddy,  and  in  some  places,  above 
and  below,  is  three,  eight,  twelve,  or  twenty  feet 
deep,  according  to  the  season  and  circumstances, 
and  is  often  from  fifty  to  two  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  wide,  saying  nothing  of  its  increased  width 
in  great  freshets,  already  noticed. 


SCENES  OF  THE  JORDAN.         147 

The  eastern  bank  is  very  steep,  generally; 
but  the  western  is  low  and  variegated  with  trees, 
fruits,  and  flowers  in  great  luxuriance.  The 
locust  tree  is  called,  in  derision,  "  the  bad  b'oy's 
tree,"  as  the  prodigal  son  hungered  for  it. 

As  we  leave  here  for  the  Holy  City,  we  travel, 
generally,  over  seven  miles,  through  a  partly 
cultivated  plain,  interspersed  with  sand  hills, 
ravines  lined  with  shrubbery,  then  over  gullies, 
and  brooks,  and  thorny  hedges,  till  we  come  to 
Jericho.  Here,  in  gloomy  ruins,  you  may  see 
the  remains  of  the  old  castle,  the  house  of 
Zaccheus,  a  few  Arab  huts,  and  some  filthy  in- 
habitants. 

Two  miles  farther  west  we  come  to  the  mar- 
gin of  Joshua's  Garden  and  beautiful  pools. 
Casting  our  eyes  still  westward,  we  behold  the 
notable  Lazarine,  or  "  Quarantania "  Mountains, 
on  the  highest  peak  of  which  our  Saviour  is  said 
to  have  been  tempted  by  Satan.  On  the  south 
we  view  the  Dead  Sea,  which,  at  evening  time, 
is  most  strikingly  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death,  as  I  have  before  stated.  On  the  east  we 
gaze  upon  the  high  mountains  of  Moab,  Nebo, 
and  Pisgah,  at  the  foot  of  which  we  would  sing 
anew,  — 


148 


TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 


"  On  Jordan's  stormy  banks  I  stand, 

And  cast  a  wishful  eye 
To-  Canaan's  fair  and  happy  land, 
Where  my  possessions  lie. 

Could  we  but  climb  where  Moses  stood, 

And  view  the  landscape  o'er, 
Not  Jordan's  stream  nor  death's  cold  flood 

Should  fright  us  from  the  shore." 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

LETTER  :     FAREWELL   TO   PALESTINE. 

EFORE  leaving  Jerusalem  I  made  a 
number  of  visits,  besides  those  al- 
ready noticed.  On  a  delightful  morn- 
ing, —  and  we  have  many  such  in  this  region,  — 
Elder  Jones  and  myself,  mounted  on  two  fine 
nags,  galloped  over  the  hills,  and  through  the 
valleys  of  Judea,  near  Rachel's  tomb,  past  Beth- 
lehem, for  nine  long  miles,  to  Solomon's  Pools, 
situated  in  a  south-westerly  direction  from  the 
Holy  City.  They  are  three  in  number,  varying 
from  three  to  five  hundred  feet  in  length,  by  one 
hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hundred  feet  in  width, 
—  eye  measurement,  —  one  just  above  the  other, 
covering  the  brook  which  flows  from  the  Foun- 
tain Sealed.  There  is  now  but  little  water  in 
the  pools,  and  that  is  confined  chiefly  to  the 

149 


150  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

channel  and  the  lowest  pool.  It  is  now,  indeed, 
a  dry  time. 

The  pools  are  very  picturesque,  and  are  formed 
by  a  deep  ravine  between  two  ridges,  terraced 
by  nature,  from  the  lowest  point  upward,  by 
beautiful  layers  of  white  limestone,  making  fine 
steps,  with  four  thick,  high  walls  or  breastworks 
of  stone  and  mortar,  thrown  up,  cemented,  reach- 
ing across  from  hill  to  hill,  with  lesser  walls, 
along  some  of  the  lower  sides  of  the  ridges. 

The  inside  of  the  pools  presents,  as  a  natural 
formation,  a  series  of  descending  steps  from  the 
upper  strata  of  the  side  walls,  gradually  letting 
you  down  to  the  lowest  stage  of  running  water. 
These  bottoms,  or  plateaus,  are  finely  variegat- 
ed, but  irregular,  having  steps  and  offsets,  well 
adapted  for  baptizing  multitudes,  fast  as  they 
might  come,  at  all  times  and  seasons,  at  any 
desirable  depth  of  water.  Said  Rev.  Mr.  Per- 
riue,  a  Methodist  minister,  while  viewing  the 
spot,  "Nothing  better  for  the  purpose  of  bap- 
tizing by  immersion  could  be  conceived,  if  made 
expressly  for  that  object."  "Amen,"  I  said. 
"  We  are  right." 

These  pools  are  mostly  supplied  by  the  rains 


FAREWELL    TO    PALESTINE.  151 

or  melting  snows  of  February  and  March.  So 
there  come  from  the  side  hills  or  ridges  the 
waters  that  fill  the  pools.  But  the  only  living, 
tributary  stream  is  from  the  Fountain  Sealed, 
spoken  of  by  King  Solomon.  This  is  about  one 
hundred  rods  above  and  west  of  the  upper  pool. 
It  is  well  protected  by  a  small  entrance,  stoned 
around,  which  many  travellers  pass  through  to 
see  the  subterraneous  fountain ;  but  I  was  too 
large,  in  winter  dress,  to  find  admission  through 
the  cave's  mouth,  though  I  tried  hard  to  screw 
myself  down  to  the  edge  of  the  fountain.  This 
is  never  failing,  and  well  supplies  the  channel  of 
the  pools  in  the  dryest  times.  O,  let  sinners  re- 
pent and  be  baptized  ! 

These  waters  are  conducted  by  a  stone  and 
mortar  canal,  called  the  Pottery  Canal,  —  some- 
thing like  the  Croton  aqueduct,  —  down  past 
Miss  Miner's  lost  gardens  and  form,  to  the  city 
of  Bethlehem,  where  some  of  the  water  is  taken 
out  for  washing  and  other  purposes.  Then  it 
continues  on  six  or  seven  miles  farther,  through 
the  Shepherd's  Valley,  around  the  hill  of  the 
Greek  convent,  —  the  "half-way  place"  between 
the  sacred  cities,  — near  the  Hill  of  Evil  Council 


152  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

and  the  Potter's  Field,  amidst  the  fine  orchards 
of  fruitful  olives,  down  through  the  valley  of 
Hiimom,  and  under  the  walls  of  Mount  Zion, 
into  Solomon's  Temple.  So  now  the  Mosque 
of  Omar,  on  Mount  Moriah,  with  the  worship- 
pers there  and  the  visitors  to  the  Holy  City,  re- 
ceives these  sweet  waters.  It  is  thought  that  the 
waste  water  contributes  something  to  the  rise  of 
the  Virgin  Pools  and  Siloam. 

We  had  a  delightful  ride  for  the  day,  and 
made  many  interesting  observations  upon  the 
very  ground  where  patriarchs,  kings,  Christ  and 
the  apostles,  so  often  trod.  There  was  a  kind 
of  inspiration  felt  and  enjoyed,  and  as  "  we 
mused  the  fire  burned." 

At  another  time,  alone  and  without  a  guide, 
save  a  passing  pilgrim,  I  visited  St.  John's  Place, 
or  where  he  is  said  to  have  stood  and  preached 
to  multitudes,  discipling  and  baptizing.  A  Cath- 
olic convent  now  marks  the  spot,  and  the  kind 
monks  will  guide  you  to  the  sacred  relics.  A 
stone,  or  large  rock,  is  now  safely  secured  with- 
in these  walls  by  lattice-work  of  iron,  or  with 
iron  grates,  to  debar  visitors  from  pounding  off 
specimens  to  carry  away.  On  this  rock,  they 


FAREWELL   TO   PALESTINE.  153 

say,  John  the  Baptist  preached  some  of  his 
memorable  sermons.  Very  likely. 

Besides  other  interesting  objects,"  the  monks 
showed  me  some  pictures  of  surpassing  excel- 
lence, namely,  John  baptizing  Christ  in  the  Jor- 
dan, and  the  multitudes  of  converts.  But,  alas  ! 
the  awful,  bloody,  yet  finely  executed  picture  of 
old  cruel  Herod  slaying  the  children  of  two 
years  old  and  under,  and  the  murderous  behead- 
ing of  John  the  Baptist !  These  are  pictures  of 
skilful  workmanship,  on  canvas,  of  many  feet 
square,  hanging  from  the  high  and  long  walls  — 
a  ghastly  but  instructive  sight !  I  have  never 
seen  their  equal  in  any  other  country.  I  shall 
never  forget  them. 

Here  I  quietly  ate,  and  wrote  letters,  and 
slept.  Next  morning,  after  showing  me  to 
the  house-top,  and  to  the  interesting  things  of 
the  adjoining  valley,  and  to  the  breakfast  table, 
they  kindly  showed  me  my  best  way  to  the  City 
of  the  Great  King,  called  by  the  natives  The 
Holy.  O,  behold  the  place  here  in  the  wilder- 
ness !  O,  the  memorable  preaching  station  of 
John  the  Baptist !  But  how  changed  I  Popery 
and  Moslemism,  indolence,  vice,  and  squalid 


154  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

poverty  mark  the  whole  region  as  a  curse.  I 
there  wandered,  meditated,  prayed,  and  wept, 
and  gave  myself  anew  to  God's  service.  But 
after  casting  back  a  few  lingering  looks,  I  fell  in 
with  a  long  train  of  market-women,  carrying  on 
their  heads  all  kinds  of  produce,  grain,  vege- 
tables, wood,  charcoal,  meat,  fowls,  eggs,  wine, 
fruit,  and  flowers.  They  were  very  nimble,  talk- 
ative, and  quite  polite.  I  occasionally  met  with 
or  overtook  a  donkey. train,  with  men  riding  and 
doing  similar  service,  during  my  morning  walk 
of  nine  miles,  till  I  made  the  city. 

Here  I  refitted,  revisited,  and  took  my  fare- 
well view  of  the  city  of  wonders.  I  revisited 
and  ascended  Pilate's  Judgment  Hall,  on  the  Via 
Dolorosa,  overlooking  the  Temple  on  Mount 
Moriah,  — the  sacred  arch  of  "Behold  the  Man," 
—  and  enjoyed  a  splendid  prospect,  with  objects 
of  note;  then  the  Church  of  the  Flagellation, 
where  Christ  is  said  to  have  been  scourged ;  also 
the  stone,  or  pinnacle,  on  which  they  say  the 
cock  crew  when  Peter  denied  his  Lord;  the 
Pool  of  Bethesda  (now  mostly  filled  up,  fifty 
or  more  feet);  the  Jews  Wailing  Place,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  old  Temple,  where  they 


FAREWELL    TO    PALESTINE. 


155 


meet  on  every  Friday  afternoon,  and  weep,  read, 
and  cry  aloud,  putting  their  faces  between  the 
massive  stones,  and  kissing  the  walls  thereof —  all 
praying  fervently  for  the  coming  of  the  Messiah, 
and  making  great  lamentations ;  and  next  the 
Jewish  Synagogue,  Greek,  and  Armenian  con- 


JEWS'    WAILING   PLACE. 

vents,  where  myriads  of  pilgrims  congregate 
yearly.  Again  I  walked  upon,  and  around,  and 
within  Zion's  walls,  and  "  marked  her  bulwarks  " 
anew.  In  some  places  the  walls  are  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  high. 

I  also  revisited  the  Mount  of  Olives,  Mary's 


156 


TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 


Tomb,  Gethsemanc,  with  its  large  square  plot  of 
eight  olive  trees,  walled  in,  and  the  Church  of 
the  Ascension,  on  the  top  of  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
also  the  rock  on  which  they  say  the  Saviour  left 
the  impress  of  his  foot  when  he  ascended  to 


MOUNT    OF   OLIVES. 


heaven,  and  the  road  that  he  travelled  when  the 
disciples  shouted  hosanuas,  and  where  Jesus 
wept,  as  he  beheld  the  city.  I  shall  not  soon 
forget  these  sacred  spots,  nor  the  feelings  that 
I  experienced  while  treading  the  ground  where 


FAREWELL    TO    PALESTINE.  157 

Jesus  and  his  disciples  walked,  nor  the  mir- 
acles wrought  and  prophecies  fulfilled  and  ful- 
filling in  their  connection.  The  Lord  sanctify 
the  whole !  But,  alas,  the  once  glorious  city 
has  come  down  wonderfully !  Yet  we  look 
for  her  resurrection,  with  faith,  hope,  and  assur- 
ance. 

Farewell  now,  O  Jerusalem,  and  may  the  day 
of  thy  restoration  soon  dawn,  and  the  song  of 
peace  and  good  will  be  sung  the  world  around. 
"Farewell,  friends,  I  must  be  gone." 

I  left  the  Holy  City  on  the  1st  of  March,  in 
company  with  Governor  Thomas  H.  Seymour, 
of  Connecticut,  Chaplain  Bettinger,  of  the  Mace- 
donian, Professor  Brewer,  of  Yale  College,  Revs. 
Towns,  Orton,  Perrine,  and  other  gentlemen, 
and  rode,  via  Nebe  Samuel's  Tomb,  Gibeon, 
Elgebe,  Valley  of  Ajalon,  where  the  sun  and 
moon  stood  still  during  the  battle  and  victory 
of  Joshua,  and  then  crossed  the  mountain's 
ridge,  by  the  camel's  path  down  to  Ludd,  or 
Lydda,  where  Peter  healed  Eneas  of  his  palsy, 
and  so  on,  three  miles  more  to  Ramleh,  where 
we  lodged  at  the  Four  Consulates,  —  American, 
English,  Persian,  and  Prussian, —  and  fared  well ; 


158  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

yea,  as  weeks  ago,  when  we  lodged  there,  at  the 
Human  convent. 

This  city  is  a  place  where  some  wealth  and 
power  have  concentrated,  and  is  the  centre  of 
a  rich  farming  region  and  valley.  Much  money 
is  said  to  lie  buried  under  ground  for  safe  keep- 
ing, for  fear  of  the  Ishmaelites  and  other  maraud- 
ers. The  government  is  poor  and  uncertain,  so 
that  enterprise  has  but  little  encouragement. 

As  we  looked  and  rode  over  the  valleys,  like 
Acre  and  Sharon,  we  spied  the  roses  and  lilies 
in  full  bloom,  among  rocks  and  thorns,  and  the 
fruit  trees  coming  out  in  beautiful  spring  dress, 
till  we  re-entered  the  old  city  of  Jaffa. 

Here  we  were  delayed,  storm-bound,  for  a 
week  and  more,  awaiting  a  steamer  for  Egypt. 
So  I  revisited  Simon's  old  tannery,  stone  vat, 
set-kettles  for  hot-liquor  tanning,  and  there  drank 
at  the  well. 

It  was  near  here  that  Dorcas  made  the  aprons. 
I  visited  also  the  English  Hospital  and  Jewish 
Home,  a  fine  plantation,  a  mile  out  east,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Jews,  and  there  partook  of  the 
hospitalities.  O,  what  fine  orchards  of  oranges, 
lemons,  and  other  fruits,  now  greet  our  eyes  ! 


FAREWELL   TO   PALESTINE. 

But  we  must  again  say  farewell  to  old  Jaffa  ! 
Yes,  after  the  last  ten  days'  lodging  in  a  truly 
Romish  convent,  all  free  as  we  pleased. 

A  Greek  patriarch  and  suite  join  here  for  old 
Alexandria,  and  on  we  sail.  Good  by. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 
LETTER:  FAREWELL  TO  EGYPT. 

ARCH  10.  I  have  just  returned  from 
Jerusalem,  via  Joppa,  on  a  French 
steamer.  We  had  a  very  agreeable 
time  of  it,  with  the  noble  Greek  patriarch  and 
our  own  choice  company.  The  weather  was  fine, 
and  the  sea  calm.  How  clear  the  atmosphere  is  ! 
The  stars,  instead  of  appearing  to  be  set  in  sock- 
ets in  the  vaulted  heavens,  seem  rather  to  stand 
out  in  bold  advance,  as  if  hanging  by  some  un- 
seen fixture  in  the  sky,  right  over  the  Mediterra- 
nean. We  gazed  with  delight  and  wonder.  We 
at  times  had  a  good  view  of  the  verdant  shore, 
passed  the  delta  of  the  Nile,  and  made  this  city 
of  monuments,  evergreens,  and  windmills. 

Jews,  Greeks,  Turks,  Egyptians,  and  a  sprin- 
kling of  all  castes  and  nations,  occupy  this  city 

160 


FAREWELL   TO   EGYPT.  161 

and  vicinity.  But  yet  the  railroad  and  public 
offices  of  enterprise  are  mostly  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Englishmen  and  Americans.  The  hotels 
and  boarding-houses  are  mostly  kept  by  English- 
men, Frenchmen,  and  Italians.  Many  eating- 
houses  are  kept  by  natives,  but  chiefly  of  a  lower 
order,  and  for  a  very  common  class,  and  very 
cheap  withal.  English  engines,  cars,  and  boats 
are  thought  to  be  preferable  to  American,  though 
not  so  beautiful  or  fast.  Native  cotton  in  Egypt, 
annual  and  perennial,  is  abundant,  and  increas- 
ing yearly,  and  bids  fair  to  rival  American  cot- 
ton. Corn  is  very  abundant,  and  now  lying  un- 
husked  on  the  ground,  or  in  ears  spread  over  the 
sand-banks.  Cotton  and  corn  stalks  are  used  as 
fuel  for  burning  lime,  and  brick,  and  pottery, 
also  for  heating  ovens  for  baking  purposes. 

The  soil  on  the  Nile  is  rich  and  fertile,  from 
one  to  twenty  feet  deep,  of  vegetable  mould, 
with  a  fair  admixture  of  loam,  clay,  and  sand. 
It  needs  no  manure ;  and  well  it  does  not,  for 
this  is  generally  used  as  country  fuel  in  heating 
houses  and  cooking  food.  Some  of  our  emi- 
grants overland  to  California  understand  its 
use,  too,  where  there  is  no  other  fuel,  by  the 
11 


162  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

name  of  "vash."  .  This  is  prepared,  dried,  and 
packed  up  as  wood. 

Palm  and  date  trees  are  very  numerous  on  the 
Nile,  and  tall,  some  running  up,  sometimes,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  and  bearing  abun- 
dant fruit  at  their  tops.  Beautiful  indeed  to  the 
eye,  and  how  sweet  the  food  to  our  taste  !  Here 
we  have  the  "  first  fruits."  The  olive  tree,  too, 
is  equally  indigenous  to  this  soil  and  climate, 
and  very  fruitful. 

Wheat  straw  is  cut  fine  for  mules  and  camels, 
to  be  eaten  with  grain,  or  alone.  Oxen,  cows, 
and  a  kind  of  depreciated  buffalo,  are  very  nu- 
merous, and  are  hitched  or  watched  while  feed- 
ing. Sheep  are  generally  coarse,  loose-wooled, 
and  look  poor,  often  herding  with  the  goats,  and 
sometimes  mix  and  cross,  they  say  ;  so  that  none 
but  an  expert  shepherd  can  run  the  line  of  dis- 
tinction, or  tell  the  difference.  Christ,  the  good, 
gracious  Shepherd,  knows  his  sheep,  and  is 
known  of  them,  though  we  judge  ever  so  imper- 
fectly. Some  sheep  look  much  like  goats.  This 
is  a  portraiture  of  backsliders.  How  true  ! 

There  is  much  game  along  the  Nile,  upward, 
such  as  foxes,  rabbits,  pigeons,  ducks,  and  many 


FABEWELL   TO    EGYPT.  163 

other  kinds,  to  engage  sporting  gentlemen  from 
the  Continent  and  elsewhere.  Fish  fill  the  Nile, 
and,  after  the  overflow  subsides,  they  are  left  in 
the  pools,  ponds,  and  minor  streams,  in  all  quan- 
tities, to  be  scooped  out  by  hand  or  nets,  for 
table  use. 

While  visiting  Egypt,  I  witnessed  a  great  mil- 
itary parade  at  Cairo.  The  officers  were  of  good 
size,  form,  and  fashion,  with  most  splendid  uni- 
forms, and  acquitted  themselves  well ;  but  the 
soldiers  were  generally  remarkably  small,  yet 
quite  expert. 

The  railroads  are  now  doing  much  for  Egypt, 
but  the  improvements  are  all  from  abroad.  The 
small  farmers  rent  their  six,  ten,  or  twenty  acres 
of  land  at  the  agencies  of  the  Pasha,  or  of  the 
sub-agents,  and  pay  enormous  rents  or  taxes  to 
support  lazy  dignitaries,  and  live  themselves 
miserably  poor,  filthy,  and  benighted.  Only  look 
yonder,  and  behold  a  man  holding  an  antiquated 
plough,  drawn  by,  a  woman  on  the  land  side,  and 
by  an  ox  or  an  ass  at  the  other  end  of  the  long 
yoke,  going  in  the  furrow  1  O,  mothers,  wives, 
sisters,  daughters, — women  of  Christendom, — 
how  much  you  owe  to  religion  ! 


164  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

The  people  are  not  generally  "given  to  much 
wine  or  strong  drink,"  but  drink  water  and  cof- 
fee, also  take  snuff  and  smoke  tobacco,  inces- 
santly, from  morning  till  night,  sitting  and  stand- 
ing. They  eat  the  simplest  food,  in  primitive 
style,  or  worse,  and  lodge  in  mud  huts,  or  any- 
where. Living  costs  them  but  little.  When 
sick,  they  will  lie  in  the  sunshine,  to  enjoy  "  the 
healing  from  its  wings." 

The  Pasha  lives  in  grandeur  in  a  new  palace, 
made  expressly  for  himself  and  family,  having 
one  real  wife,  and  some  scores  of  others  (?)  in 
his  harem.  His  children  are  but  few,  and  gen- 
erally feeble,  as  is  often  the  case  with  polyga- 
inists.  Brigham  Young  may  yet  aspire  to  be  a 
Turkish  pasha. 

But  I  must  close  this  letter,  and  lie  down  — 
not  on  a  feather  bed,  or  on  a  doAvny  pillow,  — 
for  I  have  not  found  them  in  Egypt,  —  but  on 
fine  cotton  ones,  overhung  with  mosquito  nets, 
required  here  for  comfort,  even  in  winter.  It  is 
getting  late.  I  am  to  leave  here  to-morrow  — 
bound  to  the  Isle  of  Malta. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

LETTER  :  RETROSPECT  AT  MALTA. 

ARCH  14.  I  have  had  a  good  trip 
from  Alexandria  to  this  famous  is- 
land Malta,  which  is  now  a  central 
sea  depot  for  the  "  circulating  ships "  on  these 
"great  waters,"  noticed  in  Bible  history. 

I  am  now  on  my  return  passage,  and  expect 
soon  to  visit  Switzerland,  Germany,  and  Eng- 
land, on  my  way  to  New  York.  As  my  mind 
refuses  to  quit  the  past  scenes,  and  still  lingers 
behind  my  person,  musing  with  delight,  permit 
me  to  make  some  new  corroborative  and  desul- 
tory reflections,  and  notice  some  passing  inci- 
dents, which  may  refresh  my  readers. 

I  have  enjoyed  thus  far,  with  only  slight  in- 
terruptions, a  very  pleasant  and  profitable  tour. 
The  painful  quarantines  even  have  had  their  re- 

165 


166  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

deeming  features ;  and  so  I  may  say  of  all  the 
little,  and  numerous,  and  transient  vexations  by 
delays,  deceptions,  frauds,  beggars,  inconven- 
iences, weariness,  and  sufferings.  I  "remember 
no  more  the  anguish"  for  the  transcendent  "joy 
that  succeeds." 

The  Turkish  government  is  yet  weak,  sickly, 
and  inefficient,  in  all  "parts  wherever  I  have  trav- 
elled under  its  flag ;  and  it  seems  peculiar,  and 
somewhat  wonderful,  that  the  subjects  should  do 
so  well  under  such  imbecile  rulers.  But  the  Lord 

v 

overrules  all  for  good.  The  worth  of  coined 
money  even  changes  capriciously  at  the  beck  of 
the  Sultan  or  Pasha.  Wood  being  scarce  and 
dear  in  the  cities  of  the  Levant,  and  even  sold 
by  the  pound,  the  inhabitants  suffer  much,  and 
burn  the  most  filthy  substitutes.  Thorns,  such 
as  probably  composed  the  Saviour's  bloody 
crown,  are  often  gathered,  dried,  and  used  in 
large  quantities  as  fuel,  thus  crackling  under 
the  pot. 

The  rocks  under  and  in  the  walls  of  the  Holy 
City  are  mostly  limestone  ;  and  some  of  these 
are  of  excellent  marble,  of  splendid  colors  and 
varieties. 


RETROSPECT   AT   MALTA.  167 

Sheep,  goats,  cows,  and  calves  are  grazing 
all  around  the  city,  and  are  slaughtered  lying  on 
the  ground,  while  very  poor.  We  had  no  fat 
meat  there. 

The  horses,  mules,  donkeys,  and  camels  are 
generally  kept  up  for  convenience  and  use,  being 
fed  on  cut  straw  and  grain,  but  look  poor  and 
rough.  Still  they  perform  wonderfully  over 
those  hills,  gullies,  and  slippery  rocks.  My 
fine  steed,  of  some  eight  hundred  pounds' weight, 
with  a  rider  of  two  hundred  and  thirty,  fell  only 
once  on  his  knees  during  all  my  rides.  We  had 
to  pay  only  forty  cents  per  day  for  rides  about 
the  Holy  City,  and  some  sixty  for  going  so  far 
off  as  to  need  an  attendant  with  feed.  I  could 
hardly  have  believed  it  to  be  in  the  power  of  a 
horse  to  carry  me  as  did  the  little  nags  that  I 
rode  in  Palestine  ;  nor  in  the  power  of  a  donkey 
to  carry  me,  as  mine  did  once,  from  Cairo  to  the 
Pyramids  and  back  the  same  day. 

Most  of  the  water  is  offensively  poor,  gathered 
in  rainy  seasons  —  spring  and  fall  —  from  roofs 
and  hills,  and  not  filtered.  There  are  but  few 
living  streams,  and  most  of  the  natural  springs 
fail  in  the  dry  times,  or  somehow  disappear  when 


168  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

most  needed.  A  few  wells,  from  one  hundred 
to  two  hundred  feet  deep,  yield  abundantly  in 
dry  seasons.  A  little  water  runs  along  the 
brook  Cedron,  around  the  old  site  of  the  Tower 
of  Siloam,  so  that  women  were  washing  clothes 
in  it  in  a  dry  time. 

There  are  various  Bedouin  tribes  scattered  all 
over  Palestine,  who  claim  the  districts  which 
they  occupy.  They  make  game  of  some  stran- 
gers, and  extra  vain  travellers,  and  fight  among 
themselves  sometimes,  but  not  very  often,  they 
say.  The  Sultan  could  not  subdue  these  Ishma- 
elites,  even  by  a  long  and  bloody  war,  but  had 
to  make  terms  by  a  kind  of  compromise ;  so 
that,  in  going  down  to  Jordan,  you  must  pay  to 
their  chiefs  or  sheiks  from  three  to  five  dollars 
each  to  get  a  safe  conduct.  This  fee  is  now 
fixed  by  "the  powers  that  be." 

The  land  is  mostly  hilly,  rocky,  full  of  caves, 
pits,  gulfs,  precipices,  with  some  high  ridges  and 
peaks,  interspersed  with  small  and  large  valleys, 
all  very  fertile  when  well  watered.  The  beauti- 
ful valleys  of  Sharon  and  Acre,  as  well  as  those 
of  Jordan  and  all  between  the  seas,  are  fertile  as 
prairies,  and  often  gay  with  crops,  fruits,  and 


RETROSPECT   AT   MALTA.  169 

flowers.  I  often  saw  the  lily  and  the  rose  in 
midwinter.  Near  the  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea, 
or  on  the  Mediterranean,  it  is  much  warmer  than 
at  Jerusalem.  About  Joppa  are  many  orchards 
of  oranges,  lemons,  olives,  and  the  vineyards  of 
sweet  grapes.  And  here  you  may  see  Mount 
Ararat,  the  spot  which  the  ark  made  sacred  iu 
the  days  of  good  old  Noah,  and  also  marks  of 
the  flood. 

Some  great  changes  in  Palestine  —  yea,  in 
Christendom  and  the  wide  world  —  must  soon 
take  place.  Jerusalem  must  be  emancipated  and 
rebuilt,  and  her  glory  restored.  The  glorious 
hills  must  echo  and  re-echo  with  sacred  songs. 
Abraham's  old  farm,  and  all  the  world,  shall  be 
tilled  for  God.  Peace,  plenty,  and  good-will 
shall  crown  the  globe !  As  yet,  the  harvest 
fields  are  great,  and  the  laborers  few.  The 
enemy  is  numerous  and  strong,  and  "iniquity 
comes  in  like  a  flood;"  but  we  will  raise  our 
standard  for  Jehovah,  and  "a  nation  shall  be 
born  in  a  day."  .The  New  Jerusalem  will  come, 
and  Mount  Zion  crown  the  world  with  glory  ! 

Yours  for  revivals  and  heaven. 

Malta,  March  15.     I  will,  in  closing,  give  my 


170  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

friends    and    readers    a    few    more    interesting 
items. 

In  Palestine,  and  many  parts  of  the  Orient, 
pilgrimages  and  journeys  are  begun  at  three 
o'clock  P.  M.,  at  three  miles  an  hour  till  six 
o'clock,  parties  preferring  to  start  so  as  to  easily 
send  back  after  encamping  for  the  night,  in  case 
anything  important  should  be  found  wanting,  or 
be  recollected.  The  camels  will  travel  seven 
days  easily  without  water.  "  Black  tents  of 
Kedar "  is  a  term  used  to  reproach  the  tribe 
of  Ishmael.  Resting  on  rocks  by  night,  and  in 
their  shadow  by  day,  is  common  in  old  "  Bible 
lands."  Lands  distant  from  cities  are  culled 
"  deserts,"  however  fertile  or  well  cultivated. 
"  Waste  howling  wilderness  "  implies  wind, 
sand,  thirst,  woe.  Dangerous  pits,  ditches,  and 
slippery  paths  are  common.  Streams  and  wells 
are  very  variable  and  deceptive.  Fiery  serpents, 
scorpions,  and  asps  are  dangerous  in  summer. 
Snow  from  the  peaks  of  Lebanon  is  used  for  ice. 
wWhited  sepulchres"  are  costly,  common,  and 
much  visited.  Women  carry  their  children 
astride  on  their  shoulders.  People  walk,  sit, 
talk,  smoke,  take  views,  and  sleep  on  the  house- 


EETROSPECT   AT   MALTA.  171 

top.  Arab  villages  have  houses  for  strangers, 
all  free.  Bells  on  teams  tend  to  enliven,  and  to 
keep  beasts  from  wandering.  The  gates  of  Je- 
rusalem are  shut  at  sundown,  —  except  Joppa,  a 
half  hour  later,  —  aud  opened  at  sunrise.  Walk- 
ing in  the  dark  in  the  city  is  prima  facie  proof 
of  guilt.  Mustard  trees  at  Nazareth,  as  in  Cali- 
fornia, are  big  enough  for  choirs  of  birds  to  sing 
in.  Locust-tree  pods  are  coarse,  sweet  food,  and 
very  abundant.  Tares  are  like  wheat,  goats  like 
sheep,  and  impostors  like  models,  till  God  judges. 
Jews  and  Gentiles  read  aloud  in  a  sing-song 
style,  even  when  alone.  Many  Bible  places  can 
hardly  be  identified,  being  ruined  so  often.  A 
camel's  average  load  is  five  hundred  pounds ;  a 
mule's,  two  hundred  aud  fifty ;  an  ass's,  one 
hundred  and  fifty.  From  February  till  June  is 
a  good  time  to  travel  in  "Bible  lands."  Be- 
ware of  strangers,  guides,  or  any  vain  show  of 
wealth. 

Be  watchful,  prayerful,  consistent,  temperate, 
faithful  to  the  end.  Thus  follow  the  polar  star 
of  Christianity,  till  we  meet  in  heaven. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

LETTER  t    TOUR   OF   THE    RHINE. 

HAVE  had  a  delightful  journey  from 
Malta  and  Marseilles ;  but  at  the  lat- 
ter city  we  were  kept  in  quarantine 
for  two  days,  because  there  was  "plague"  or 
sickness  in  Egypt  —  last  year!  What  an  impo- 
sition !  What  folly  !  Yet  we  patiently  endured 
it  all,  paid  our  money  for  it,  and  rejoiced  the 
more  when  set  free. 

Marseilles-  is  now  a  grand  harbor.  Having  got 
my  passport  "  vised  "  a  second  time  in  that  city, 
and  my  banking  done  up,  I  soon  left  for  Geneva 
and  the  tour  of  the  Rhine. 

Lyons,  on  our  way,  is  a  beautiful,  enterpris- 
ing, prosperous  city,  second  only  to  Paris.  Our 
railroad  was  through  a  fine  farming  country  till 
we  approached  the  mountains.  Here  we  as- 

172 


TOUR   OF   THE   RHINE.  173 

cended  by  the  side  of  a  river,  amid  ravines, 
hills,  vales,  and  varied  scenery  of  living  green. 
Here  rocks  piled  on  rocks,  with  alternating  lay- 
ers of  earth  between,  growing  up  into  splendid 
terraces,  beauti/y  the  hills  and  mountains,  till  we 
hail  the  city  of  John  Calvin. 

Geneva  is  truly  picturesque,  beautifully  situ- 
ated, as  it  is,  on  a  plateau  bordering  the  lake, 
and  surrounded  with  the  green  hills  and  white 
mountains.  Behold  these  high  Jura  mountains, 
and  the  snow-capped  Alps,  dressed  in  bridal 
white  from  head  to  foot !  The  rich  valleys, 
green  as  summer,  and  the  hill-sides,  terraced, 
and  covered  with  grape-vines,  greet  you  —  a  ro- 
mantic panorama.  How  delightful ! 

The  city  contains  thirty  thousand  inhabitants, 
and  is  noted,  at  present,  for  making  watches 
and  clocks,  nice  and  cheap.  It  was  once  the 
stronghold  of  the  Reformation,  and  has  contin- 
ued to  be  the  advocate  of  liberty. 

The  famous  John  Calvin  and  his  coadjutors 
here  preached,  and  engraved  their  lives  and  their 
religion.  I  visited  Calvin's  old  temple,  stood  in 
the  famous  pulpit,  and  sat  in  the  old-fashioned 
chair.  His  grave  is  quite  unadorned,  and  marked 


174  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

only  by  a  headstone,  twelve  inches  high  by  ten 
wide,  with  the  bare  inscription,  "  J.  C."  How 
plain,  and  how  sublime!  He  needed  no  other. 
He  hated  sin,  error,  and  popery.  He  wrote, 
practically,  his  own  autobiography,  his  immortal 
epitaph. 

Geneva,  during  the  past  winter,-  has  been  mor- 
tally and  terribly  scourged  with  black  measles,  or 
putrid  small-pox,  to  the  destruction  of  many 
scores  of  sufferers.  After  surveying  the  place, 
people,  curiosities,  and  enterprises,  and  review- 
ing its  history  till  the  present,  I  then  took  the 
steamboat  on  Lake  Geneva  for  Basle. 

O,  what  a  fine  view !  Mont  Blanc  and  the 
whole  family  of  hills  were  all  grand  beyond  de- 
scription. Lake  Neufchatel,  too,  is  twelve  miles 
wide  by  fifty-four  long —  crooked,  often  narrow ; 
clear,  pure  water,  the  best  that  I  have  tasted 
since  I  left  America.  It  is  full  of  the  best  of 
fish  —  skirted  with  gardens,  vineyards,  terraced 
slopes,  grazing  hills,  and  distant,  high  moun- 
tains. I  felt,  by  times,  just  as  if  I  were  on  a 
lake  or  in  a  valley  of  New  Hampshire,  only  en- 
larged, and  adorned  with  mountains  a  little  more 
lofty  than  Mount  Washington,  and  scenery  more 


TOUR    OF    THE    RHINE.  175 

varied  and  sublime.  Blessed^  country  !  Sweet 
homes  ! 

Basle  is  a  rich,  smart,  thriving  city  —  the  first 
in  Switzerland  as  to  importance.  Here  is  one 
of  the  oldest  and  largest  cathedrals,  of  real 
Gothic.  For  a  few  hours  I  was  involuntarily 
detained,  for  resembling  some  one  else,  but  soon 
went  on. 

I  next  visited  Manheim,  via  railroad,  and  so 
down  the  river  Rhine.  We  passed  meadows 
wide,  rich,  and  well  watered,  also  the  productive 
hills  and  "  black  forests "  which  line  their  low 
borders. 

From  Manheim  I  went  by  steamboats  all  the 
way  to  Rotterdam.  As  we  passed  the  city  of 
Worms,  I  was  powerfully  reminded  of  Martin 
Luther. 

From  Mayence  to  Cologne  the  scenery  sur- 
passes all  that  I  ever  saw  or  imagined.  Nature 
and  art  are  here  wonderfully  combined.  You 
may  behold  fifty  huge,  old  castles,  ruins ;  high 
and  steep  hills,  terraced  to  their  tops,  all  covered 
with  fine  gardens,  and  vineyards ;  some  lofty 
peaks,  deep  gullies ;  immense  rocks,  of  all 
shapes,  classes,  and  names ;  scenery  varied  and 


176  TEAVELS    IN   BIBLE   LANDS. 

sublime;  a  large ,.  swift,  crooked  river,  bearing 
onward  our  noble  boat  over  rapids,  amidst  nar- 
row straits,  bold,  rocky  palisades,  and  high, 
ever-green  mountains.  This  trip  pays  well. 

Cologne  is  especially  noted  for  making  sweet 
perfumes.  The  cathedral,  of  Gothic  architec- 
ture, is  the  most  magnificent  and  beautiful  speci- 
men to  be  found.  It  is  five  hundred  and  eleven 
feet  long  by  two  hundred  and  thirty-one  feet 
wide,  surmounted  with  a  vast  dome  five  hundred 
feet  high.  It  was  really  begun  in  the  year  1248, 
and  is  not  yet  finished.  It  is  exquisitely  tasty 
and  grand  to  look  at,  but  what  a  monument  of 
error  and  folly ! 

The  Rhine  is  so  very  swift  in  places,  that  im- 
mense flat-boats  are  anchored  in  the  middle  of  it, 
and  used  as  flouring  and  grist  mills,  the  strong 
current  moving  the  powerful  water  wheels. 
Skiffs  and  small  boats  approach  on  both  sides. 

Rotterdam  is  an  old  Dutch  city,  large,  low 
down,  full  of  canals,  as  of  streets,  with  boats 
moving  in  all  directions,  as  so  many  stages.  I 
don't  like  the  place. 

I  must  soon  leave  for  London. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 
LETTER:  LONDON  AND  THE  ANNIVERSARIES. 

PHIL  4.  Yesterday  I  left  Rotterdam, 
and  now  I  am  in  the  great  city  of 
Christendom. 
To-day  I  have  listened  to  the  preaching  of  the 
famous  Spurgeon.  Truly  he  is  plain,  honest, 
full,  earnest,  varied,  fluent,  sometimes  eloquent, 
and  seemingly  full  of  the  spirit.  I  shall  (D.  V.) 
hear  him  again,  and  write  you. 

Politics  here  are  now  running  very  high,  and 
much  is  said  just  now  about  war.  We  think 
religious  feeling  is,  at  present,  on  the  increase, 
and  how  desirable ! 

The  weather,  for  a  few  days,  has  been  as  warm 
as  June  with  us,  but  summers  here  are  cool.     I 
shall  stay  so  as  to  attend  the  spring  anniver- 
saries, and  then  steam  away  for  New  York. 
12  177 


178  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE   LANDS. 

April  11.  Yesterday  I  heard  Spurgeon  twice. 
There  is  no  doubt  about  it,  the  youth  of  twenty- 
four  is  really  a  great  preacher  —  natural  and 
spiritual.  His  matter,  manner,  and  style  are 
verily  apostolic.  I  can  take  no  exceptions  to 
his  pulpit  performance.  He  appears  much  like 
a  true  modern  revivalist  or  evangelist.  His 
voice  is  very  full,  strong,  sonorous,  and  well 
cultivated.  He  knows  well  its  skilful  use.  He 
sings  well.  His  prayers  are  long,  importunate, 
and  seem  to  take  hold  on  heaven  and  earth,  hav- 
ing power  to  prevail,  like  a  prince,  with  God 
and  men.  All  present  seemed  to  feel  very  deep- 
ly while  he  pleaded  with  God  on  their  behalf. 
They  wept.  Ah,  here  is  the  secret  of  his  power 
and  success  !  This  was  on  a  stormy,  wet  morn- 
ing; but  the  great  Surrey  Garden  Chapel  was 
I  full,  and  thousands  stood,  within  and  without, 
through  the  whole  service  of  two  hours.  The 
chapel  will  hold  thirteen  thousand.  His  audience 
was  made  up  of  high  and  low  ;  about  an  average 
in  quality,  I  should  think,  of  ordinary  congrega- 
tions in  London.  I  saw  Lady  Burgoyne,  her 
daughter,  and  a  sprinkling  of  the  nobility.  The 
lady  has  lately  been  immersed. 


LONDON   AND   THE   ANNIVERSARIES.  179 

Though  many  of  the  upper  classes  hear  Spur- 
gcon  occasionally,  the  more  common  people  hear 
him  constantly  and  gladly.  I  am  told  that  honor- 
ables  often  sit  under  his  melting  eloquence  with 
delight.  I  believe,  as  he  does,  that  God  has 
given  him  a  particular  and  responsible  mission 
to  fill.  His  influence  is  still  increasing,  and 
shedding  its  genial  rays  far  and  wide.  May  the 
Lord  consummate  his  most  glorious  work  in 
bringing  prodigals  home. 

The  Church  of  England  has  been  wonderfully 
awakened  by  recent  influences.  Religion  and 
temperance  are  really  gaining  ground  in  all  the 
evangelical  denominations,  and  making  somo  in- 
road upon  others.  Bishops,  lord  bishops,  and 
elders  are  putting  on  the  reformation  coat.  I 
heard  the  so-called  Lord  Bishop  of  London  the 
other  night  at  Exeter  Hall.  He  really  talkell 
like  a  spiritual  father.  I  heard,  the  other  even- 
ing, the  celebrated  Methodist  preacher,  Pun- 
cheon ;  but  how  unlike  the  spiritual  Spurgeon ! 
Yet  he  was  very  animated,  florid,  fluent,  artistic, 
pointed,  logical,  antithetical,  evangelical.  He 
took  a  wide  range,  orator-like,  and  sustained  his 
influence  till  the  last,  holding  a  crowded  and  de- 


180  TRAVELS   IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

lighted  audience  of  a  thousand  for  a  good  hour. 
He  refreshed  the  intellect,  but  seemed  not  so 
much  to  touch  or  melt  the  heart,  as  the  bold, 
pathetic  Spurgeou.  His  subject  was,  the  all- 
sufficiency  of  God.  He  is  an  itinerant,  and  is 
the  most  noted  preacher  among  the  Methodists. 
But  no  endowments  or  attainments  will  avail 
without  the  power  of  the  Spirit.  O  that  God 
would  sanctify  the  church,  and  raise  up  more 
Holy  Spirit  preachers,  and  send  forth  more  suc- 
cessful missionaries  !  O  for  a  membership  of 
godly  lives  ! 

Professor  Finney,  the  distinguished  Evange- 
list from  America,  is  preaching  here,  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church.  His  audiences  are  large  on  Lord's 
days,  but  rather  small  on  week-day  evenings.  I 
met  him  as  an  old  acquaintance,  took  part  in  the 
meeting,  and  heard  him  preach  the  other  evening 
with  much  pleasure.  He  is  in  good  health,  quite 
happy  ;  not  so  full  of  ,fire  and  physical  power  as 
formerly,  but  full  of  unction  and  pathos. 

The  pastor  informed  me  that  they  were  suc- 
ceeding very  well  in  their  special  effort.  Some 
youthful  preachers  have  here  arisen  up,  and  seem 
to  eclipse  their  seniors.  May  God  bless  the  agents 


LONDON  AND  THE  ANNIVERSARIES.     181 

and  instruments  of  his  own  choosing,  —  old  or 
young,  —  and  we  will  rejoice. 

The  Crystal  Palace  is  some  miles  out  of  the 
city,  very  large  and  costly,  but  much  cut  up  into 
courts  and  stalls,  and  the  articles  are  so  badly 
arranged,  that  I  was  not  pleased,  as  I  was  with 
our  American  Palace. 

May  1.  I  will  redeem  my  promise,  and  say  a 
few  things  about  the  anniversaries  in  London. 
These  usually  begin  in  the  latter  part  of  April, 
and  are  continued  some  two  weeks.  I  have 
spent  a  month  here,  and  participated  in  these 
and  in  other  religious  meetings ;  but  they  are 
not  equal  to  ours. 

The  Baptist  Evangelical  Society  is  an  associa- 
tion of  regular  Baptists,  for  the  purpose  of  main- 
taining inviolate  the  distinctive  principles  of  the 
New  Testament,  for  training  candidates  for  the 
gospel  ministry,  and  for  sustaining  missionaries 
and  churches,  of  the  apostolic  order.  With  this 
body  there  is  no  yielding  to  carnal  policy,  pas- 
sion, friends,  or  fashion,  for  popularity  or  con- 
verts. Though  small,  they  are  yet  a  power  in 
London,  and  must  prosper,  for  the  truth  of  God 
is  with  them.  They,  of  course,  have  but  little 


182  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

sympathy  from  the  irregular,  mixed,  and  loose 
communionists.  Our  meetings  are  quite  full  and 
interesting.  As  I  was  kindly  invited  to  move  an 
important  resolution,  I  there  consented  to  speak. 
A  social  tea-party  was  held  between  the  after- 
noon and  the  evening  sessions. 

The  Bible  Translation  Society  was  of  much  in- 
terest. Sir  S.  M.  Peto,  baronet,  took  the  chair, 
and  made  an  excellent  speech,  and  was  followed 
by  many  able  speakers.  Dr.  Steaue  added  much 
interest,  pleasure,  and  power  to  the  occasion. 
This  society  is  a  great  favorite  with  him,  and  is 
similar  to  the  Bible  Union  in  origin,  objects,  and 
efforts. 

The  Baptist  Union,  with  Dr.  Ackworth  in  the 
chair,  had  a  powerful  meeting.  Attendance 
good.  Many  able  speeches  were  made  by  Drs. 
Hinton,  Steane,  Hoby,  Burns,  and  Evans,  and 
many  others,  who  addressed  the  meeting  at  dif- 
ferent times.  Our  dear  brother  Lehmann,  of 
Berlin,  read  a  most  interesting  and  thrilling  pa- 
per upon  the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom  in 
Germany.  He  is  a  very  learned,  able,  and  pow- 
erful speaker,  much  like  his  yoke-fellow  and 
apostolic  missionary  —  brother  Onken.  God  is 


LONDON    AND    THE    ANNIVERSAHIES.  183 

truly  working  wonders  by  his  faithful  Evange- 
lists. I  will  try  to  get  the  most  important 
items  and  statistics  for  your  excellent  paper  — 
the  American  Baptist. 

An  appeal  and  certain  resolutions  were  passed 
to  memorialize  the  Baptist  churches  in  America, 
on  some  vexed  questions,  but  with  some  dissent- 
ing voices,  fearing  for  the  effects. 

Having  been  kindly  invited,  by  a  unanimous 
vote,  to  address  the  meeting,  I  thanked  the 
Union  for  their  expressed  regards  for  America 
and  myself.  I  assured  them  of  our  brotherly 
love  and  reciprocity,  and  that,  whatever  their 
piety  and  wisdom  might  suggest,  all  would  be 
duly  appreciated  by  their  good  and  faithful 
friends  in  America,  and  that  the}'-  should  in- 
dulge no  fears  of  hindering  the  glorious  re- 
vival, for  it  was  the  work  of  God,  and  too 
deeply  rooted  and  established  in  Christian  hearts 
to  be  overturned  or  retarded  by  a  memorial  so 
kind  and  truthful.  Surely  it  would  rather  di- 
rect, encourage,  and  strengthen  the  young  and 
old  converts.  So  by  all  means  let  it  go.  And 
as  to  irritating  minds  and  chilling  hearts  in 

o  O 

America  by  their  resolutions  and  denunciations 


184  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

of  our  sins,  I  assured  them  that  they  need  have 
no  fearful  apprehensions,  as  we  had  often  heard 
much  severer  and  more  recriminating  addresses 
from  our  own  moral  reform  advocates.  Truth  is 
mighty,  and  will  ever  advance  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom.  Dr.  Hoby  remarked  to  me,  as  I  sat 
down,  "You,  my  dear  brother,  have  said  just 
enough,  and  that  just  right." 

Then,  O,  drunkenness  !  Curse  of  Great  Brit- 
ain, America,  and  other  nations,  —  twin  sister  to 
the  pit,  —  I  cannot  describe  the  horrors  that  I 
feel  to  all  slavery,  and  to  thee  !  Nor  can  I  ex- 
press the  deep  disgust  and  pity  that  I  have  felt 
while  witnessing  the  abominable  drinking  habits 
of  many  in  England,  of  the  caste,  the  common 
and  poor  people,  of  professors  of  Evangelical 
religion,  and  of  Christian  preachers  who  minis- 
ter at  God's  altar !  May  the  Lord  destroy  each 
and  all  of  these  great  evils  and  national  sins, 
and  give  us  freedom  indeed ! 

The  Baptist  Irish  Society  anniversay,  with 
Hon.  Mr.  Corderoy  in  the  chair,  was  well  sus- 
tained. The  speeches  were  warm,  interesting, 
and  moving,  as  if  from  Irish  hearts,  full  of  truth, 
love,  and  heavenly  fire. 


LONDON    AND    THE    ANNIVERSARIES.  185 

May  8.  The  Baptist  missionary  and  farewell 
meeting  was  held  at  Exeter  Hall,  with  the  Earl 
of  Carlisle  in  the  chair,  and  was  a  full  and  inter- 
esting feast  for  the  conclusion  of  these  anniver- 
saries. Many  of  the  speakers  were  truly  elo- 
quent, especially  the  Rev.  Mr.  Puncheon,  who 
several  times  brought  down  the  house.  Brethren 
Brown  and  Noel  were  in  their  element.  I  have 
had  a  very  pleasant  and  profitable  season  here. 

I  have  preached  for  Dr.  Jabez  Burns,  and 
delivered  one  lecture  on  my  "  Travels  in  Bible 
Lands  "  to  his  prosperous  and  appreciative  Sun- 
day school.  At  its  close  I  called  for  a  vote  of 
the  school  to  send  their  beloved  pastor  over  the 
same  field ;  and  it  was  not  only  carried  unani- 
mously, but  duly  executed  the  next  year,  with 
regards  and  the  fact  forwarded  to  me  soon  after, 
in  America.  I  also  preached  for  brother  Willis, 
and  gave  an  address  to  Baptist  Noel's  people 
on  American  revivals,  and  gave  also  a  short 
sketch  of  my  travels. 

London  has  truly  grown  much,  and  improved 
greatly,  since  I  was  here  thirteen  years  ago.  I 
was  then  an  American  representative  to  the 
World's  Temperance  Convention,  Evangelical 


186  TRAVELS    IN    BIBLE    LANDS. 

Alliance,  and  other  religious  bodies,  and  had  a 
precious  opportunity  for  knowledge  and  im- 
provement, not  soon  to  be  forgotten.  During 
my  present  visit  I  have  seen  much,  enjoyed 
more,  ,and  made  many  valuable  acquaintances 
and  friends.  I  have  richly  and  gratefully  shared 
the  kindnesses  and  hospitalities  of  our  English 
brethren.  May  God  bless  their  kind  efforts  for 
the  peace,  freedom,  and  evangelization  of  man- 
kind !  I  took  an  affectionate  farewell  of  my 
English  friends  last  evening,  and  took  passage 
for  America,  in  the  German  steamship  Weger. 

May  20.  We  arrived  in  New  York,  after  a 
rough  passage  of  twelve  days,  just  in  time  to  get 
the  best  of  the  wine  of  our  own  anniversaries. 

I  thank  God  for  his  unspeakable  grace  and 
providences  during  my  late,  interesting  tour, 
and  profitable  voyage.  I  thank  my  transatlan- 
tic friends  for  their  kindness  and  faithfulness. 

I  am  grateful  to  the  American  Baptist  for  pub- 
lishing so  well  my  foreign  correspondence,  and 
for  its  promotion  of  revivals,  temperance,  and 
liberty,  assuring  our  readers  in  England  and 
elsewhere  that  we  have  many  true  ministers 
who  do  not  bow  down  to  clans,  slavery,  Baal, 
Bacchus,  or  caste. 


LONDON  AND  THE  ANNIVERSARIES.     187 

With  many  thanks  and  kind  Avishes,  hoping 
soon  to  be  engaged  in  gathering  in  precious  re- 
vival harvests,  I  finish  this  my  farewell  letter,  by 
subjoining  an  extract  from  a  New  York  paper  :  — 

"  Rev.  Emerson  Andrews,  widely  known  to 
the  religious  world,  returned,  some  two  weeks 
since,  from  his  European  tour,  in  very  good 
health,  and  of  course  in  good  spirits.  He  is  just 
the  man  to  see  and  to  enjoy.  And  we  have  been 
greatly  interested  in  the  account  he  has  given  us 
of  his  visits  to  Jerusalem,  Bethlehem,  the  Dead 
Sea,  —  in  which  he  bathed,  —  and  other  points 
of  interest.  He  preached  here  last  Sabbath,  re- 
mained in  the  village  for  a  Aveek,  and  was  a 
guest,  most  of  the  time,  of  Thomas  Jefferson 
Eddy,  Esq." 

Bless  the  Lord,  and  pray  for  us  !  Finally, 
brethren,  farewell. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

SERMON   (IN  LONDON)  :   THE   GREAT  SALVATION. 

"  How  shall  we  escape,  having  neglected  so  great  a  salva- 
tion?"— Heb.  ii.  3. 

FEEL  truly  grateful,  my  dear  breth- 
ren, that,  in  the  good  providence  of 
God,    I   am   permitted,    after   twelve 
long  years,  to  meet  you  here  again. 

Many  years  ago,  complying  with  a  generous 
invitation,  I  joyfully  participated  with  your  dear 
pastor  in  the  World's  Temperance  Convention, 
in  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  and  in  many  other 
religious  meetings.  Here  I  addressed  you  on 
the  subject  of  temperance,  in  company  with 
Father  Beecher,  Dr.  Muzzy,  and  other  mag- 
nates of  Christendom.  Here  I  preached  to  you 
the  precious  gospel;  and  here,  too,  I  enjoyed 

188 


THE    GREAT   SALVATION.  189 

your   Christian   hospitality  and   generous  kind- 
ness. 

May  the  Holy  Spirit  magnify  and  apply  the 
text!  "Salvation"  implies  man's  fall,  moral 
agency,  great  guilt,  helpless  condition,  and  eter- 
nal retribution.  "How  can  we  escape,  if  we 
neglect  salvation?"  How  escape  hell,  if  we 
turn  our  backs  on  heaven  and  God? 

I.  Salvation  is  infinitely  great. 

When  the  Triune  Jehovah  proclaimed  salvation 
to  lost  man  through  Jesus  Christ,  it  was  the 
greatest  wonder  of  the  universe.  Making  the 
world,  or  man,  or  angels,  was  as-  nothing  com- 
pared with  it.  Herein  is  wisdom.  Creation,  on 
all  hands,  shows  infinite  power,  goodness,  and 
wisdom ;  but  God  has  eclipsed  all  things  in  the 
gift  of  his  Son,  and  "all  his  mightiest  works  out- 
done." No  wonder  that  the  angels  kept  silence 
for  half  an  hour  on  hearing  the  good  news ! 
Here  is  the  great  masterpiece  of  the  manifold 
wisdom,  grace,  and  power  of  Jehovah  —  the 
mystery  of  godliness.  Christ  is  born  in  the 
flesh,  justified  in  the  spirit,  seen  of  angels, 
preached  to  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the 
world,  and  received  up  into  glory.  There  is 


190  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

our  Creator,  Redeemer,  Advocate,  High-priest, 
Saviour,  Physician,  Friend,  and  All. 

Salvation  is  our  panacea  for  all  the  ills  of  men 
—  for  all  the  diseases  of  the  immortal  soul. 
Love,  mercy,  justice,  and  truth  are  combined 
as  mighty  elements  in  this  great  salvation,  min- 
gling the  divine  attributes,  like  the  prismatic 
colors  of  the  covenant  rainbow.  Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  which  takes  away  the  sin  of  the 
world  !  We  are  saved  from  sin,  guilt,  condem- 
nation, the  sting  of  death,  and  the  horrors  of  the 
grave,  and  made  to  enjoy  peace,  righteousness, 
and  all  the  Christian  graces  a  hundred  fold 
here,  and  infinitudes  of  bliss  in  heaven.  O,  sal- 
vation, how  great ! 

Salvation  is  precious  and  costly.  Behold  the 
only-begotten  Son  of  God,  descending  from 
heaven,  borii  in  a  manger,  working  miracles, 
blessing  the  needy,  persecuted,  betrayed,  cruci- 
fied, buried,  raised,  manifested,  ascending,  seated, 
pleading  —  all  that  we  might  be  saved  !  What 
wonderful,  constraining,  redeeming  love  !  O,  let 

"  —  rocks  and  hills  their  everlasting  silence  break!  " 
God,  angels,  and  all  Christians  witness  to  the 


THE    GREAT    SALVATION. 


191 


greatness  of  salvation,  while  many  sinners  testify 
to  their  utter  want  of  it.  It  is  infinitely  worthy 
of  acceptation  by  all,  as  it  is  freely  offered  to  all 


THE    CUOWN    OF    LIFE. 


who  fear  God,  of  all  times,  climes,  classes,  and 
nations  under  the  heavens.  Can  we  neglect  so 
great  salvation?  Salvation  gives  our  only  hope, 


192  TRAVELS    IN   BIBLE    LANDS. 

door,  way,  truth,  life.  Let  us,  my  brethren, 
proclaim  the  gospel  the  world  over,  warning 
every  man,  exhorting  every  man,  trying  to  win 
all  to  Christ  and  heaven. 

Sinners  of  the  old  world  did  not  escape  wrath, 
nor  did  wicked  Israel,  or  the  Jews ;  nor  will 
latter-day  sinners  escape  the  just  judgments  of 
God,  or  an  eternal  hell,  if  they  neglect  so  great 
salvation.  No  ;  never,  never  ! 

Let  sinners  now  repent,  believe,  submit,  and 
be  converted,  and  then  be  immersed  in  Jesus' 
name.  How  precious  is  obedience,  and  the  or- 
dinances of  the  cross !  O,  let  us  be  faithful  to 
the  end,  and  receive  the  Lord's  benediction  and 
the  starry  crown.  Amen. 

I  thank  you,  dear  brethren,  for  your  respectful 
attention  this  Lord's  day  morning*  and  praise 
God  for  this  and  other  unspeakable  privileges. 
Should  you  ever  visit  America,  I  shall  be  glad  to 
receive  you,  and  reciprocate  your  favors.  Breth- 
ren, farewell. 


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